I’m usually not super excited when comedies air back to back episodes. The fact is that sitcoms are a half hour for a reason, and whether it’s two episodes, or an ill-advised “super-sized” installment, it usually just drags on and doesn’t really work for me. Happily, 30 Rock is an exception to that rule. I love this show so much, I think I would happily sit down for a marathon, especially after a month long absence.
Liz Lemon certainly had a busy night, didn’t she? I think she saw more action in these two episodes than she has in the past season or more. The first episode of the night ended with Liz having a three way with James Franco and his Japanese pillow girlfriend, and the second installment focused on her taboo office romance with Danny, the new cast member.
I thought both episodes were strong outings, but perhaps absence just makes the heart grow fonder. I have to admit that both episodes were a little heavy on crazy Jenna. In the first, she was fake-dating James Franco to hide his love of a Japanese pillow from the paparazzi. I don’t know if Franco really loves Japanese pillow women in real life, but if he does, it still wouldn’t be the craziest thing he did this year. In the second episode, Jenna freaked out when she was called to try out for the role of a mother on Gossip Girl.
I also wasn’t crazy about the B plot in the first episode featuring Liz’s recently out cousin, who was on a tear in New York City. The rest of the hours really worked for me though. Tracy’s stories rarely miss the mark, and his adjusting to the fact that he is going to have a daughter was great, as was Jack’s quest to erase his embarrassing message from Nancy’s answering machine.
As always, this week’s episode featured some choice quotes:
“I know it’s a girl, Liz Lemon, because I yelled Susan B. Anthony at the moment of conception!” – Tracy, on his unborn child.
“She’s at the beach house alone. That’s the most divorced sentence I’ve ever heard.” – Jack
“Before you worked here were you an ass scientist because your ass blah, blah, blah, you get the point.” – Tracy, chatting up a woman at work
“I’m the actor James Franco damn it, and I’m in love with, and common law married to a Japanese body pillow!” – James Franco
“I want to be TGS’s Steve Nash: come down from Canada, work hard, make the black guy look good.” – Danny
“I won’t calm down! Women are allowed to get angrier than men about double standards!” – Liz
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Jan 14, 2010 @ 22:04 EST5EDT
