30 ROCK IS BACK!!!
I can't contain my excitement anymore! Although there are still no return dates for my beloved Community or Cougar Town, I can't help but be jazzed for new 30 Rock next week.
30 Rock is one of my favorite, and one of the best comedies on TV. I am so happy with NBC for allowing this show to get to its 6th season, despite sometimes pretty low viewership ratings (although, of course, I'm still unhappy with NBC for other reasons - #SixSeasonsAndAMovie).
If you have never seen 30 Rock and don't watch the Emmy's and haven't read Tina Fey's book, Bossypants, and don't watch or pay attention to comedy television (why are you reading this?), then I can tell you that 30 Rock takes place in the backstage world of a TV sketch comedy show, similar to Saturday Night Live. It revolves around the lives of these coworkers - Jack, the executive (Alec Baldwin); Liz, the writer (Tina Fey); Jenna, the diva performer (Jane Krakowski); Tracy, the diva performer, male category (Tracy Morgan); Kenneth, the page (Jack McBrayer); and various other members of the cast and crew of TGS with Tracy Jordan.
One of the things I love most about 30 Rock, is its fearlessness. They did a live episode. They've done an episode filmed entirely as if it were a reality show about Tracy's wife, Angie, in "Queen of Jordan." They aren't afraid to play with the format of the story-telling and it totally works for me. 30 Rock has characters named Dr. Spaceman, Jeffrey Weinerslav, Wesley Snipes, D'Fwan, and the new Hazel Whatshername. They don't hesitate to include strange story-lines about Liz shouting at the Moon with Buzz Aldrin and Jenna dating a man who moonlights as a cross-dressing version of her. It's this courageousness that makes 30 Rock unique in today's comedy landscape.
Additionally, 30 Rock is supremely well-acted. Just ask the 5 wins and 34 nominations in acting categories for the Emmy Awards. Everyone on this show is great and despite the off-screen drama surrounding the likes of Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan, they always deliver when they are on-screen. Particularly the guest stars - which account for a nice chunk of the nominations listed above - are phenomenal. They may only be in an episode or two, but that doesn't make their performances any less wonderful.
The writing is great, too, but I would expect nothing less from a team headed by Tina Fey. If you don't know me, then you don't know that I absolutely worship her. And that I was reduced to a speechless puddle when she signed my copy of her book on my birthday last year. The point I'm trying to make is that there are a slew of other Emmy nominations and wins for the writing, as well.
Now, you might be thinking, "But what do the Emmys know?!" And in general, I will agree that they sometimes get it wrong and make me angry (I'm sure I will devote an entire post to this anger come nomination time). But in this case, their nominations and awards for 30 Rock's excellence hit the nail on the head.
Anyway, I hadn't really thought too much about the return of 30 Rock this winter - my DVR takes care of me so I don't have to remember the millions of dates - and then Entertainment Weekly posted a preview video today and a short article with an unbelievable fact: 244 days have passed since the last new episode of 30 Rock.
Watch that preview video here:
Now, are you as excited as I am? 30 Rock has always had great guest stars - Will Arnett, Steve Buschemi, Elaine Stritch, Jon Hamm, Steve Martin, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Matt Damon, Carrie Fisher, etc. (I could seriously continue for a while) - but the addition of Kristen Schaal to the regular cast has made me one happy camper. If you're not familiar with Schaal, shame on you! But really, you should check her out in The Flight of the Conchords (also, because that show is great).
Plus, there is the addition of James Marsden this season, unfortunately for a limited time, that also has me pretty pumped.
I began this post thinking I'd simply highlight the shows making their winter premiere, and instead I wrote a little love letter to 30 Rock. That's alright. There is plenty more I could say on the subject, of course, but I'll leave it here for now.
Are you as excited as I am for the sixth season of 30 Rock? And what other shows are you looking forward to seeing again this winter?
30 Rock returns Thursday, January 12 at 8:00pm.
No comments:
Post a Comment