Download 30 Rock Episodes

Season: 3

Episode: 4

First Aired: 11/20/2008

Liz joins Jack to a party at his friend Gavin Volure’s mansion, only to have Gavin fall completely in love with her. Tracy fears his kids have sinister intentions when they become too nice to him. Kenneth entrusts Jack to invest his savings into Gavin’s business venture.

Stars:

Tina Fey (Liz Lemon)

Keith Powell (James “Toofer” Spurlock)

Katrina Bowden (Cerie Xerox)

Jack McBrayer (Kenneth Parcell)

Judah Friedlander (Frank Rossitano)

Scott Adsit (Pete Hornberger)

Tracy Morgan (Tracy Jordan)

Jane Krakowski (Jenna Maroney)

Alec Baldwin (Jack Donaghy)

Download 30 Rock: “Gavin Volure” for Free

Another Thursday night, another fantastic episode of 30 Rock. There are some things in life that are just meant to be and 30 Rock proves that it hasn’t lost its kooky charm, absurd humor, or bizarre characters in its third season.

This week’s episode (”The One With the Cast of Night Court”) proved no exception to the above rule, offering up a deliciously outlandish plot that involved new page uniforms, Liz’s former roommate Claire (guest star Jennifer Aniston) stalking Jack, and a reunion of the cast of NBC’s Night Court. That the latter storyline is a direct outgrowth of the first is just one reason why I can’t help but fall for 30 Rock’s oddball nature.

I was initially concerned that Aniston’s Claire would steal the focus away from the other characters, but Tina Fey (who wrote this week’s installment) and director Gail Mancuso did a fantastic job at juggling the Claire-Jack-Liz storyline and that of Kenneth and Tracy. In fact, I thought that Aniston’s Claire (a.k.a. life coach Esmerelda Fitzmonster) was a fantastic addition to the already insane denizens of Rockefeller Center, what with her penchant for “sexy birthday” and “mannequin coming to life”-style surprises. I loved the way that Claire crashed Jack’s charity fundraiser for Mee Ow (hee!), pulled off her disguise, and then proceeded to serenade him a la Marilyn Monroe (despite the fact that it wasn’t actually his birthday at all), broke into his apartment dressed like a French maid and carrying a white pizza she had prepared, and later stole a policeman’s gun and planted in on Jack, all in course of a single episode. Crazy putty indeed.

Liz, meanwhile, tried to distract Claire by taking her out to a new club called Aquarium, where the women stand out in a glass box and the men watch and feed them (thanks for the suggestion, Cerie!), only to have Claire decide to ditch her former friend and hook up with Jack instead. Jack, I have to say, has some very odd taste in women. Sure, he’s dated Condi Rice and was married to Isabella Rosselini’s insane socialite Bianca, but Claire takes the cake in the crazy department. Despite only having a few scenes together, I absolutely loved the chemistry between Jack and Claire and I sort of hope that Fey will consider bringing Aniston back for a second guest appearance in the future. After all, every successful single businessman like Jack needs a psycho stalker.

What else worked for me? I loved the way that Kenneth folded and saluted his former page uniform, the way that Kenneth’s moral outrage at progress led Tracy to say that he wanted to pee on someone, Harry Anderson saying that he wanted to pitch a new character on Heroes whose power is close-up magic, Claire telling Jack that she loved him while having sex in a meat locker, and the Eyes Wide Shut allusion from Kenneth as he admits that the last time he was blindfolded, he was playing piano at a masquerade ball. (Seriously, what other series would reference Night Court and Kubrick in the same episode?)

And while it was great to see Aniston back on NBC, I have to say that I was even more pleased to see Night Court’s Harry Anderson, Markie Post, and Charlie Robinson turn up. (We get an excuse for the absence of John Larroquette, though where was Richard Moll, I ask you?) Hell, even Jenna turned up to reprise her role as werewolf lawyer Sparky Monroe (seriously, LOL), a part that paid for her “hand reduction surgery.” (You can’t make this stuff up.)

And somehow the wacky subplots all ended up coming together as Tracy forces the NBC higher-ups to change back the page uniforms or he’ll pull out of playing Mac in the upcoming Night Court feature film… and Liz ended up coming through for Jack once again (despite attempting–unsuccessfully–to delete his number from her phone and deny his call from jail) by bailing him out after his arrest.

All in all, yet another hilarious episode of a series that continues to surprise and impress me with its comedic instincts, unpredictability, and memorable dialogue. Cut to freeze frame.

Next week on 30 Rock (”Gavin Volure”), Jack and Liz are invited to a luxurious dinner party at the mansion of eccentric businessman Gavin Volure (guest star Steve Martin) while Tracy fears for his life when he thinks his kids are being too nice to him.

OK, so his name isn’t going to be Don Draper, unless Liz Lemon finds a time machine at NBC and goes back in time, but it looks like Mad Men’s Jon Hamm is coming to 30 Rock.

Hamm is in negotiations to play Liz’s boyfriend on several episodes of the NBC sitcom later this season. This is coming off of Hamm’s great turn as host of Saturday Night Live last week. The worlds of SNL, Mad Men, and 30 Rock are coming together, and it’s all kinds of awesomeness.

Of course, this means that Liz and her new boyfriend will break up at some point, since he has to go back to Sterling Cooper, circa 1962. Plus we have another SNL alum, Jason Sudeikis, waiting in the wings for Lemon some day, if Floyd ever comes back. But this could bring a lot of attention to two fantastic shows that don’t get the best ratings.

This is rather wild. My favorite sitcom and my favorite drama coming together in a way I would never had expected. This will hopefully tide me over until Mad Men returns in 2009.

(S03E01) “It’s not at all erotic and fun, like when men do it to women.” - Jack, about being sexually harassed by Kathy

Jason asked earlier today if Governor Sarah Palin would help 30 Rock finally get out of the ratings doldrums and become the hit it deserves to be. I don’t know if that will happen. It seems more like a weird little show that just so happens to be on a big network on a big night with big stars (I think NBC will stick with the show no matter what the ratings are, at least for a few more seasons), but fans of great comedy should definitely tune in. It’s the best comedy on TV right now, not just Emmy-wise but also funny-wise, and tonight’s third season opener shows that it’s still running on all cylinders.

From the opening scenes where Liz welcomes Jack back from his job in D.C. (he really can’t talk about how he got out of the position, and we never find out what happened when the gay bomb took effect) to the closing scenes where Liz tells Jack that she really loves seeing him back sitting behind his old desk, this episode manages to do what the show has always done, mix crazy, almost surreal humor with a genuine (not manufactured) heart.

How do they do that? The show can be cynical and snarky and rapid fire with the one-liners and insults, and then have really nice moments between Liz and Jack that show you how much they care for each other. I don’t mean in a romantic way, I just mean deep friendship. They don’t go overboard with it at all, they just hit the right notes and then move on. Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin are great together.

I’m glad that Liz doesn’t end up getting a baby. That might have taken the into that weird sitcom territory, a third or fourth season where they have to add a kid to keep things lively. Though I guess the show could have had some funny riffs on that TV cliche. Liz doesn’t get the kid, because of the crazy stuff adoption agency rep Megan Mullally sees at NBC and her subsequent short-term amnesia, but they do keep the door open for it happening later in the series, and that’s a good decision.

I also like how the opener gives us an update on how things are going with the other characters. Tracy’s video game is a success, Jenna got $300 for starring in a Japanese commercial where she got slapped, what happened after Pete shot the page with the arrow. Though we never do find out how Kenneth got out of his predicament in China.

Devin wants to shut down NBC for two years which sounds crazy, though I wonder if it’s any worse than what Ben Silverman is doing.

Some more great quotes from this episode:

- “I heard that theme park fire didn’t destroy everything it was supposed to.” - Jack, to Devin

- “That’s not slang. He has a speech impediment!” - Grizz, to Jenna, after she repeats what Tracy says

- “I even got rid of all of my Colin Firth movies in case they think they could be erotica.” - Liz, about her adoption interview at home

- “The man can wear a sweater.” - Jack, about Firth

- “I was arrested once, in Germany. for public nudity. I thought it was a topless beach. It was a shipyard.” - Liz

- “I mean, I never do anything for Yolanda, and she sends me those headless dolls.” - Jenna, about her stalker

- “Hey, Tracy, did you read in the paper today that when Lil’ Wayne … that’s a person, right?” - Liz

- “Can I hide this box of penis pasta in your office?” - Liz

- “I’m Rick, the other black guy.” - Rick, to Liz

Source: TVSquad

30 Rock has been the little show that could for two years. Like Arrested Develoment a few years back, it has a rabid fan following and the critics just adore it. Unfortunately, it also has the same problem that plagued AD: low ratings. While those numbers did tick up during last year’s strike-shortened season, the show still only averaged 6.4 million viewers, good enough for 94th place among all shows. It’s also proven it does well with alternate viewing methods like online streaming and DVR recording but the networks are still struggling with how to account for that.

If ever there was a time for Tina Fey’s little show to find that bigger audience, this would be it. Sure winning the Emmy for Best Comedy for the second year in a row is great. Hell, Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin took home awards for Best Actor and Actress as well this time. But even that doesn’t mean anything when the ratings numbers come in. What does matter right now is Sarah Palin. Thanks to John McCain picking the one woman on the planet who looks exactly like Tina Fey, suddenly she’s the most famous comedian on the planet, and that could just save her show.

It helps that she does a spot-on and hilarious impression of Palin to boot. And considering her connection to Saturday Night Live already (Hell, Lorne Michaels is behind her new show as well), she had the perfect place to do it. Then NBC put those SNL Weekend Update Thursday specials on and suddenly there’s Tina Fey on TV being funny right where her own show is going to be, and getting nine to eleven million viewers each week. What they should have done was held back Kath & Kim completely and have both the SNL specials and 30 Rock in the Thursday night lineup at the same time. But I guess that would have made too much sense. These are still network executives we’re talking about.

In fact, I’m not even sure that the move to put the premiere of 30 Rock online at NBC.com a week before tonight’s premiere was a smart move if they want to bolster ratings. Sure, it probably helped the online viewing of the show, but I think it was doing well there already. The problem is there aren’t enough on-air viewers. 30 Rock and shows like it (high praise, low ratings) can only hang in there on accolades and awards for so long, as proven by Arrested Development.

In fact, Arrested Development averaged 6 million viewers in its second season before a disastrously-scheduled third season drove it firmly and finally into the ground. At least NBC seems to have more faith in the show, airing it on their strong Thursday night lineup instead of opposite every other major strong show on television like FOX did.

But the big question remains: will a damned funny impression of the Republican vice presidential candidate by Tina Fey mean improved ratings for the show she stars in? I guess we’ll find out tonight. I have to think that enough of her fans from SNL and even people who’ve never heard of her until her impression went viral and global, will at least tune in out of curiosity. They might even think another SNL special is going to be on in that slot. The election is still almost a week away.

Luckily, 30 Rock is just as frantic and over-the-top as SNL when it’s good, and in fact is a far cry better than your average episode of the Saturday night staple. Plus, former cast member Tracy Morgan is there too, so there’s another familiar face. And to complete the connection to both shows, Will Arnett (Arrested Development), who’s married to Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live), and the proud papa of a new baby boy (Congratulations!), guest stars tonight in his deliciously evil role as Alec Baldwin’s arch rival, Devin Banks.

Here’s an interesting little tidbit from 30 Rock
star/producer/writer Tina Fey: NBC boss Ben Silverman was the inspiration for four characters on the show.

It’s one of the many subjects covered in this long Fortune profile of the controversial TV exec. Fey doesn’t say who all of the characters are or how they are based on Silverman, except in one case. She explains that evil TV executive Devin Banks (played by Will Arnett) is the one that’s based on Silverman the most.

This has got to be the best backhanded compliment since Mike Myers said that Dr. Evil was based on Lorne Michaels.

New York says that Banks and the three other 30 Rock-ers aren’t the only characters on NBC that might be modeled on Silverman. There have been subtle clues that maybe Ryan Howard over on The Office
is based on Silverman too. Maybe not in his current role, back as a lowly desk jockey at Dunder-Mifflin but in his former life as a high-powered DM exec in NYC (which he has vowed to get back to).

In related news, Syler from Heroes was based on Jean Stapleton.

[via Portfolio]

Another week, another guest star announced for NBC’s 30 Rock. But this is one I’m actually looking forward to.

Actually, I’m looking forward to all of the guest stars that have been announced for 30 Rock this season (OK, maybe not so much the Gossip Girl
cast), including Jennifer Aniston and Oprah Winfrey. But this one seems particularly impressive and funny. Steve Martin will appear on the Thursday night comedy.

In general, I’m still very antsy about all of these guest stars. I don’t want to think that the show is resorting to stunt casting just to get buzz and ratings (the show is loved and gets great reviews, but it’s hardly a ratings powerhouse). I would hope that the show would just keep going as it is, being the smart, slightly subversive, unpredictable comedy that fans have grown to love. After all, how long before loyal fans - the fans that have stuck with the show even though it’s not a big ratings-getter - start to rebel and say to themselves “oh God, who’s on the show this week?”

The one thing that the show has going for it in this regard is that it uses its guest stars very well. So well that you don’t watch Jerry Seinfeld or Carrie Fisher or David Schwimmer and say “that’s just stunt casting.” The roles and stories have been great for these guest stars. I just hope that trend continues.

Jennifer Aniston made a brief return to sitcom stardom when she filmed a guest role on the NBC hit 30 Rock. And now, the former Friends star is talking about her experience back on the small screen.

“Where do I begin? I just had the time of my life,” she told reporters at the Toronto International Film Festival, where she’s promoting her upcoming film Management. “The cast welcomed me in with open arms, and it was so good.”

And Jen had nothing but nice things to say about her co-stars on the show, whom she called, “Stellar!… Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Jane Krawkowski… what a great group of people,” she told ET Canada. “Unbelievable!

Meanwhile, Jen’s director in Management, Stephen Belber, took his time out  to gush to OK! about how great it was to work with the actress.

“She lives with her heart on her sleeves, she lives fully and she’s not afraid to hide it,” explained Stephen. “She doesn’t flaunt it in any sense. People follow her life, and she’s not a jerk. She could be a mean, bitter person as a result of all the press she gets – or the hounding — she gets, and she just never, ever shows a bitterness at all. That alone is huge, I think.”

Jennifer Aniston Also to Appear

Talk queen Oprah Winfrey is currently in talks to appear on NBC’s hit series 30 Rock. If everything works out, she will appear as herself in an episode scheduled for November 6th. The show premiers October 30th.

She is not the first superstar to have a role on the show this year. Jennifer Aniston is also scheduled for a part, as a “free-spirited, Fatal Attraction-like stalker” who is Liz Lemon’s (Tina Fey) former Chicago roommate, per NBC.

Alec Baldwin got naked with Jennifer Aniston?

On the set of hit NBC series ”30 Rock,” Baldwin said, “ …She and I are coming out of my bathroom with our clothes off.” 

Baldwin spilled his guts to Extra about Jennifer Aniston’s guest role on the hit comedy series and confirmed the other A-list celebrity he’ll be welcoming on set.

He said, ”Yes…Jennifer Aniston and Oprah. What more do you want? We’re only on episode four!”

As for Aniston’s character, Baldwin explained, “She plays a friend of Tina [Fey's character] who comes to town and she has a reputation of a man-eater. She loves to seduce alpha men…Tina warns me about her and I say, ‘Don’t worry…I recognize those kinds of women…” Count to three and she and I are coming out of my bathroom with our clothes off.”

Excited to work with Aniston, Baldwin commented, “We were very lucky to get her…She’s so alive…She’s funny and beautiful. She’s got the comedy crazy gene…She’s fun and she’s sweet. She was a perfect fit for the show.”