Jack Donaghy gets all the girls

It’s not like it’s a big secret that 30 Rock’s Jack Donaghy has good luck with the ladies. Well, I suppose it depends how you look at things. Sure, he never has trouble finding a date, but his relationships never seem to last longer than a season. Jack’s relationships are one of my favorite parts of 30 Rock. Actually, just about anything involving Jack is my favorite part of 30 Rock. With the show taking a break for the Winter Games, I figured it would be a good time to take a look back on some of the more notable ladies in Jack’s past.

• Bianca: Jack’s ex-wife may be my favorite of all his relationships. Her portrayer, Isabella Rossellini, has a lot to do with that. I love Rossellini in just about anything she does. The back and forth between Jack and Bianca was fantastic, as well as Bianca’s sociopathic hatred of Liz. I really hope that we get to see some more of her. I can’t get enough of hearing Rossellini saying, “Damn it, Johnny, you know I love my Big Beef and Cheddar!”
• Phoebe: The incredibly high-maintenance auctioneer never came across as a good match for Jack, even if he came close to marrying her. I enjoyed her, however, with her fragile bone syndrome and uppity attitude. At the end of the day, though, I’m glad that Jack realized she was just after his money.
• CC: After The Sopranos and before Nurse Jackie, Edie Falco put in some time on 30 Rock as Jack’s opposites-attract relationship. Who would have ever thought that Jack could find love in the arms of a liberal congresswoman? The affair was fun, but brief. I would have liked to have seen it last a little longer. It ended on fairly good terms, so there’s always a chance that it could be rekindled.
• Elisa: I think Jack’s relationship with his mother’s Puerto Rican nurse was one of the best. Salma Hayek did a great job, but at the end of the day Jack and Elisa were just from different worlds. While it lasted, though, watching Jack try to function in Elisa’s world (and vice versa) brought a lot of laughs. Who can forget Jack calling Jonathan and changing his dinner reservations during a prayer in the middle of St. Valentine’s Day mass.

This list certainly isn’t exhaustive. I can’t forget about Jack’s off-screen affair with Condoleeza Rice. Also, this season has seen a couple of new options for Jack. First there was Nancy, an old flame from high school, as played by Julianne Moore and her bad Boston accent. More recently, Jack has taken up with Avery Jessup, a conservative talk show host. It seems like they certainly have a lot in common. Will it be another great relationship, or just a brief affair?

Clacked by Bob Degon
on Feb 19, 2010 @ 12:30 EST5EDT