In their infinite wisdom, the powers that be here at CliqueClack have given me the opportunity (yet again) to air my grievances about 30 Rock. Somebody’s asleep at the wheel!
And not only here; over at 30 Rock, as well. Bob’s recently been writing about the good run the show’s been on; permission to respectfully disagree, sir? Because, my God, has the show sucked lately!
Let me be clear: the writing continues to excel. As do Jack (Alec Baldwin), Kenneth (Jack McBrayer), and … right. But that’s about it. When Liz (Tina Fey) has too much to do (non-Jack related), or Jenna (Jane Krakowski) or Tracy (Tracy Morgan) are featured too heavily, 30 Rock sinks into the abyss. They’re capable of delivering solid lines (Fey continues to score in the writer’s room), but they’re just not pleasant to watch. I laugh sporadically during each episode, only to find myself somehow disappointed with it on the whole when it’s over.
However, as we have plenty of fans of the show here at CliqueClack, I’ll share with you some of my memorable moments from last night:
And, polite claps all around, solid three minutes are over, and the rest of the show washes over us like a sea of wasted promise. Jack and Kenneth will keep me tuned in for a while yet, because they’re not only good, they’re exceptional. I guess I’ll just have to brace myself for more unpleasantness, and resign myself to one simple fact:
This show isn’t getting better anytime soon. Too bad.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Apr 24, 2009 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
Blasphemer! The presence of Salma Hayek can never be a bad thing. Ever. No how, no way.
She brings to mind an old joke:
Woman: “Would you leave me for her?”
Man: “I’d kill you for her.”
*POST AUTHOR*
I like that :-)
It’s hard to ignore how poor she does comedy, no matter how attractive she may be. Plus, Jackie boy can do better!
Wow… just wow.
ONE episode of 30 Rock that’s just funny and not over the top funny and the gravediggers come out to play.
Great job A. Great job.
*POST AUTHOR*
Aw, I’m blushing!
Well, no, because I don’t see it as one episode, or a downgrade from “over the top funny” to “funny.” I see consistent mediocrity interspersed with flashes of brilliance, all season long.
It is interesting that YOU saw a stumble this week though … when something can even catch the eye of the blind, it must really stand out (did that analogy make sense?)
You know tastes differ and you now I hate to agree with Bob on anything – I’m lashing out at the guy way more than I do at you *cough* but honestly I can’t agree with any of the points you made to point out that this was a bad episode. I can understand that YOU don’t like it but I’m feeling so completely and utterly different this time around that I find myself in the position that I can’t really force myself into even trying to agree with you here.
But I won’t say that you are WRONG. That’s simply not the case. You don’t like it, ok. It’s just that with the heading you gave this article you are kinda sorta working into the “30 Rock sucks” direction and it might stick with people so all I want to do is to tell you to not say this in public, take this post and shove it under the rug so I get more episodes of “30 Rock” in the future, you know? I mean I don’t know how big your impact on TV Land is but I pride myself on singlehandedly managing to get FNL renewed ;-)
So shhhh. Hate it all you want but don’t lobby that opinion too much. Ok? ;-)
*POST AUTHOR*
If that’s the case, I feel bad for Bob :)
I will try to keep it under my hat. Although, I’d actually love to see the show improve, not get cancelled. I think there’s a ton of real talent there, and if only it were utilized better, the show could potentially take its place alongside some of the legends. My fear is actually that all the praise will make them complacent, which is what I see happening now.
Meanwhile, I still have a bone to pick with you about your panning my other 30 Rock piece. I even gave you a link shout-out!
Uh sorry Aryeh I read that post at the Disco with my iPhone and I simply couldn’t follow all those links there (no hovering with the mouse over the links either). My bad. But that’s why I know where you are coming from here too you know, it’s not like I didn’t want to get back to you on that I simply missed it. I really try to read everything on CC, follow every link and comment on every single article, I really really do ;-)
You know the reason why I can’t “hate” you for what you do is because of the effort – you put such a tremendous amount of work into your posts and (to you at least) everything makes sense ;-) compared to Bob who I feel tries to keep TVS alive by churning out blog posts just to keep the count high – and sometimes you simply read posts by him and go “WTF” because the conclusion he comes to is so… I don’t know, asinine? No. You get the feeling that it was simply done quick and dirty and to attract comments. At the moment Danny is giving him a run for his money though if you ask me… :-) And when Bob writes about something he likes (Studio 60, 30 Rock, Mad Men) you get a glimpse of what TVS could be like if he just had that passion for all the other crap he “has to” write about.
But again, in everything you write I see a long thought process and that’s why it’s impossible to “hate” you for writing something, even if I disagree.
I totally get why you didn’t like “30 Rock” from that other post (damn it I’m doing it again, trying to get on the same level with you I said I wouldn’t do that) it’s just that I’m absolutely content with the one-liners the show throws at me every week. The only thing I hated in the past 20 episodes was the McFlurry, that’s all (“Can we have our money now?” was missing there – desperately missing).
I also don’t like Tracy and Jenna and when the show focuses on them but there’s still enough one-liners to keep me happy. Compare that to my equally beloved HIMYM. God I ****ing HATE Marshal and Lilly. Without Barney the show would be totally nothing.
Which reminds me – I was about to write something about that show, let me just put a Post-it on my Monitor – there :-)
But now back to your Kenneth article – Alec Baldwin: spot on. I’m a religious “Friends” fan and that’s why I liked Baldwin from the start on 30 Rock even though I never watched a single episode of SNL with him (not living in the US back then and due to the lack of Al Gore having invented the internet and stuff)…
Re: Rex Lee – great catch. Totally agree on that one. And we all know that Judah Friedlander is on the show because of American Splendor and Harvey Pekar’s role in the Late Night Business. Or not? I really think so. Anyway, moving on – I too feel that “Entourage” and “Californication” are more “round” – meaning they feel more together, more concise. But then again you could also say on both shows they simply use things that happen in real life in Hollywood and that weird s*** is what makes things interesting there. I guess what also might irk you is that Tina Fey is not really a god actress and that she insists that she’s ugly all the time (which she isn’t). And I bet my ass that you love Dennis in a way.
So really this is a great show – and “Better of Ted” is going that way too – great one-liner show, just like “Arrested Development” (which I don’t love as much as many other people seem to do).
There. Great. Now I made nice with you again. I need ice cream.
*POST AUTHOR*
You know, I hope, that I was just giving you a hard time ;)
I don’t know about TVS, but that’s what’s cool here, that we only need write about what comes to us, so there’s always sincerity in it (I hope).
You know (and this isn’t a backhandeded insult), the problem might be that I’m expecting too much from 30 Rock. You have a point that as a one-liner show, it is definitely successful. Maybe we’ve been too indoctrinated with the idea that Thursday night on NBC needs to be out of this world, so anything that falls short is bad, as opposed to simply not great. At the same time, I might be expecting more out of it for other reasons, because I don’t judge My Name is Earl that harshly, and God knows it has plenty of problems. I do hope they cut Tracy and Jenna back a lot, but I’m willing to check out next week’s episode with some fresh eyes. No promises on what happens, but I’m willing to give it a shot.
I’m an advocate for Ted and Robyn, too, but I definitely can’t stand Marshall and Lily either. And yes, Barney is the glue.
I can see it with Entourage, but I’m hoping Californication isn’t true to Hollywood. Man, how skeezy would that be?
Yes, agreed, Tina Fey is not ugly. What’s with the ongoing self-depreciating joke? But, Dennis? Nah, not for me. Too “white trash and doesn’t realize it.”
Got you beat there … I didn’t even like Arrested Development! Wow. Talk about dreadful.
Hey, needing ice cream is better than needing a shower. We’re making progress! :-)
I am showering daily. Now if I only had enough clean underwear ;-)
Yeah I know you were just pulling my strings but then again I was disappointed I didn’t find the reference myself. It’s not that I need my name mentioned or anything or that you call me out for being an avid fan of the show I just would’ve loved to find out myself that’s all :-)
To be honest this is a show about SNL with two alumns and 2 minutes of it has more jokes than a real regular episode of SNL.
So my point is this: what’s not to like?
Let me guess: you don’t watch SNL :-)
To b honest I really get your point about the show but like you said – you see it as something other than I do. It’s more like Family Guy for me. There doesn’t need to be any reason or structure. I just want to be entertained and I am that’s all :-)
*POST AUTHOR*
Unless there’s been a specific reason (the host or more often the musical guest), I haven’t watched SNL since the mid-90s. I’m not a sketch comedy fan, though I loved In Living Color.
-1
30 rock makes me smile, it’s cleverly written base level humour & I see nothing wrong with that.
Sometimes the humour misses the mark for me, but I’ve got an added problem in that I’m English so may not get some jokes (I have more of a problem with Family in that respect though)
*POST AUTHOR*
I hear that. The thing is, whereas on Frasier I missed some jokes because the references were to classical music, opera, etc., a world I’m unfamiliar with, 30 Rock’s references tend to be more current and more audience appropriate. If they’re still missing their mark, whose fault is that?
I don’t think 30 Rock uses Jenna enough! There are some episodes when she’s not even on. I think Jane Krakowski does an amazing job and I have grown to love the character over the past three seasons. I really hated her at first because she was just badly acted by Krakowski, but now I’m disappointed if she’s not there. More Jenna, I say!
*POST AUTHOR*
I think Jenna’s just polarizing. You love her or hate her, no in between. She makes me sad to think that there are people out there like her.
30 Rock is actually my only exposure to Krakowski, so, unfortunately, I can’t even rely on my positive feelings for the actress to change my mind. She just doesn’t do anything for me. :(
I have to disagree with you, Aryeh. Last week’s episode of ’30 Rock’ was less interesting than this week’s. Thursday’s episode actually personified what makes this show so funny: quirky and broad with a touch of humanity. I was laughing throughout the show, and I wasn’t even drinking.
My question to you is when did the downward spiral begin and how can they ‘fix’ it to make it more interesting for you?
*POST AUTHOR*
Okay, that’s fair.
Let’s see … I’d probably have to say since the premiere of this season. For me, the guest stars have been both poor fits for the show as well as central figures in bad storylines. The show crescendoed with Jerry Seinfeld guesting lat year, and then just started tanking with their selections. Megan Mullally was okay, as was the Liz adopting a baby story (where’d that go?) Oprah’s never a pleasant experience for me. The cast of Night Court was inspired, though partially because it was a Kenneth story. But Steve Martin? Salma Hayek? Jon Hamm? The storylines numbed me and the actors don’t belong on the show (or at least not in the roles that they were given).
For my enjoyment, the show would need to do just a little juggling. Liz shouldn’t have any arcs (or much screen time) without Jack. Jack and Kenneth need to do more together, and each needs more to do. Jonathan should be allowed to grow. Tracy’s role should be tied to scenes with Kenneth, and Jenna should just be a prop. The writers are also a bit annoying, but fine as long as none are given a story to helm. These are bit characters, not solid actors.
And, a bit of a non sequitur, but why’s Jack wasting his time playing the Generalissimo? (man that episode was bad). Last year’s story about his career was awesome. They need to bring that to the forefront a lot more.
Just off the top of my head :-)
See Rich agrees with me. The title is too polarizing if you ask me. Don’t tell people 30 Rock is going downhill. Shh. SHHHH! We finally managed to get it off the bubble and now you run around pointing out minor points like weaknesses.
Hush
;-)
*POST AUTHOR*
Okay, everybody, I feel compelled to mention, of my own free will, without reservation or purpose of evasion (Line?, Um, what? That what? I can’t hear you! That what? Oh …), that 30 Rock is great and the writers are great, and the show’s so good and all that stuff, and also, how I love it and it’s so good.
That is all. :-)
See that’s all we wanted ;-)
Guys, please try to keep the personal bashing out of this. Aryeh was just voicing his disagreement with Bob’s reviews, not attacking him.
Including bashing each other and ourselves?
I think Bob (Sassone) was collateral damage. I mean it’s not as if I’m not also self-deprecating myself all the time…
I think I just got carried away, sorry for that. I just want to point out that I know that there are reasons behind certain things and that I am no person who’s “hating” anybody. My personal fault is that I love making snide and cynical remarks and I’m sorry that Bob was caught in the crossfire here.
Um, guys? I believe Aryeh was talking about Bob DEGON in his review, not me. I don’t review 30 Rock for CC. Sebastian, for some reason you went on some rant against me, and I think Aryeh assumed you were talking about Degon.
Anyway, it’s really odd to come over to this site and happen upon a thread where I’m dumped on so much.
Not if you know my nick on TV Squad Bob…
Everyone keeps laughing at the quote: “How are you so quiet when your parades are so loud?”
I feel absolutely retarded asking this, but I don’t really get it… Could someone explain it to me?
*POST AUTHOR*
Nothing wrong with not getting it; it’s a NY thing.
The Puerto Rican Day parade is one of the most ridiculously riotous (not in a dangerous way, at all) parades in existence. It’s crazy packed along Fifth Avenue, and it is one of the few days of the year that people WILL NOT drive into New York City, for fear of never being able to navigate the streets.
Fifth Avenue runs along Central Park, and one year, I was with a bunch of people, trying to cross Central Park from the West Side to East Side, to get to our high school for a graduation rehearsal. We had to walk north more than 15 blocks out of our way, because there is absolutely no way through, and it is the loudest thing ever. We formed a mute human-chain and walked uptown holding hands, navigating in silence, so that we wouldn’t lose anyone in the human vacuum. Needless to say, we waited to cross back to the other side of town until the parade was long over.
Taking the nature of the parade into account, Liz is a little bemused that Elisa is so good at sneaking up on her.
Hope that helps! :)