30 Rock Live ep. 4/26

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/27/12 at 7:36pm

I really liked this episode, much more than the first live episode from a couple of years back. Obviously self-referential and silly but there were good moments. Lots of great cameos and walk-ons. East Coast and West Coast live shows are both up on Hulu. The walk-ons for both coasts were different (especially the first ones of both episodes p.s. West Coast got screwed).

**SPOILERS**
Of course it was Jimmy Fallon who cracked twice as young Jack

and

Paul entering the stage singing Zou Bissou Bissou even without the Mad Men connection for context was excellent.

[clever name]

Posted: 4/27/12 at 8:20pm

I loved it! Jon Hamm and Brian Williams were hilarious!

When I found out that we (west coast) got Kim Kardashian instead of Paul McCartney I felt totally ripped off.

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/27/12 at 8:42pm

Just for clarification, the first live episode was last season, not a couple of years ago.

I thought it was one of their funniest episodes in a long while. Kristen Schaal should be made a series regular.

[The Josh]

Posted: 4/27/12 at 8:43pm

I still chuckle thinking about the sketch with Tracy Morgan and John Hamm.

[romantico]

Posted: 4/27/12 at 8:49pm

I think 30 Rock should be live every week now. The episode was entertaining and what live TV is all about. Loved the cameos, but Alec Baldwin really is the best! I think he gets better with each episode.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/27/12 at 9:00pm

Kristen Schaal should be made a series regular.

NO! I love her on the Daily Show, but she - mostly because of her character - is just awful on this.

I did like this episode, though, more than any other in this not so great season.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/27/12 at 9:03pm

Thanks for the clarification of live episodes. I feel like this season has had a lot of more downs than ups but lately it has been on an up-swing.

clevername, also the fact Baldwin actually seemed genuinely surprised by that walk-on.

I loved Donald Glover as young Tracy. Nobody remembers that he got his start as a writer for the show, making small appearances on the show and also backed up Tracy in 'Werewolf Bar Mitzvah'.

Jon Hamm was Chet Huntley on the East Coast, for the Laugh-In Send-Up, Baldwin was Nixon instead of Charles Nelson Reilly, and the episode ended on Alec making out with Scott Adsit.

I like 30 Rock's format but this season it had a tendency of what people get annoyed with Family Guy about with the overuse of gag reel humor that does not really push the episode forward. Lately they have gone more back to the origins of the show's structure but it felt like it was getting really stale in the writer's room.

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/27/12 at 9:07pm

Mrs. Stone, I worship the ground you walk on, but you're so wrong in this case.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/27/12 at 10:35pm

Likewise, my dear, on both counts! :)

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/28/12 at 4:55am

I thought having Kim on was a complete waste of air time.

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 4/28/12 at 12:01pm

Loved the Apollo 13 flashback. "Is your father or a policeman near by?"

[Kad]

Posted: 4/28/12 at 12:17pm

I actually have to agree with Phyllis in re: Schaal's character in 30 Rock. It's like the writers said, "We have to introduce a new character that will actually stick around this time. I know, let's make the character crazier than all the characters... who are all also crazy."

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/28/12 at 12:50pm

I'm in the in camp that thinks this has been a pretty terrible season, and Schaal is just one part of it, but a part of it nonetheless. I could be seeing what I want to see, but I swear during the live show most of her schtick was met with a resounding thud by the audience.

The show has gone of the rails, at least to me. It's just way too smug and lazy and just not very funny anymore.

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/28/12 at 12:52pm

I guess I'm in the minority all around, as I think this season thus far has been much better than last season, and I've been really enjoying Schaal's presence in particular.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/28/12 at 12:54pm

I keep hoping they'll kill her off!

[strummergirl]

Posted: 4/28/12 at 12:57pm

I am pretty meh on Hazel considering we know Schaal is a talent and it is pretty evident that the writing across the board has been sub-par, especially with Hazel.

I actually thought her performance on the live show was one of the better moments for the character, especially ripping the photo of Sinead O'Connor.

At least there's Bob's Burgers that has Schaal voicing the precocious Louise. Love that show.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/28/12 at 1:08pm

See, I thought the Sinead thing was kind of dumb.

This whole season, though - I still think the stupid plotline in the first episode that was supposed to make light of the Tracy Morgan situation was beyond the pale. The show's version of it was just so idiotic I couldn't figure out who the show was trying to send up with it. I wish they had just ignored it completely rather than handle it so inanely. Since then, as others have noted, its become self-referential to the point of there being nothing there. And that episode a few weeks ago where each character was saying things like "Commentary!" after virtual every line - it made me wan to strangle myself.

Even this live show - which I did think was decent - felt mostly like a rehash of last year. I get that the live format limits them and I appreciated the old timey flashbacks and stuff, but still, it just felt redundant.

And - just to nitpick - why was young Liz a blonde? They were afraid people wouldn't recognize Poehler if they slapped a wig on her? Updated On: 4/28/12 at 01:08 PM

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 4/28/12 at 10:25pm

As much as I like Kristen Schaal, I wish Hazel would leave. She's just not a funny character.

Posted: 4/30/12 at 10:54am

I cherished the quiet moments- like the most out-there, freakish characters on the show (and possibly in the history of prime-time television) observing not once, but twice that "Maybe Rick Santorum is right."

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/30/12 at 4:38pm

I completely lost interest in the show as it seemed to get really repetitive to me. The Tracy Jordan thing was just the final straw.