It seems like Liz Lemon just can’t win.
After her breakup with Carol (Matt Damon), Liz finds her slow descent into madness quickened as she dons sweatpants, a fanny pack and a chip clip to keep her hair up. Meanwhile, Pete and Frank start a band and Jack learns a thing or two about negotiation from his nanny.
Right off the bat, one of my favorite gags is a rich person not knowing how much food costs and I’m glad that it made it into 30 Rock. Jack, in a struggle to make an analogy to his babysitter, suggests a 10-pound bag of potatoes costs $400. This, of course, echoes one of my favorite Lucille Bluth moments from Arrested Development (“How much can a banana cost? $10?”)
Tonight’s episode also continued the recent trend shark-jumpy jokes that, in all actuality, aren’t all that lame simply because of how they’re handled. We learn tonight that Pete played in the band Loverboy. You know, the “Everybody’s Workin’ for the Weekend” Loverboy. That era and style of rock n’ roll is funny enough as it is, and there are jokes every now and then that compliment the silliness without being mean.
One thing that’s been absent from the show lately is the occasional reference (or reminder, really) that these characters work at a television network and, more specifically, on a sketch comedy show. Liz had to spend time in the editing bay to compile Tracy’s best clips and Pete and Frank mess around on instruments that belonged to the following week’s TGS musical guest.
The characters are always way more interesting than their occupations, but those occupations still give them a bit more of an identity and I hope the show doesn’t forget that.
Once again, 30 Rock, had a strong episode. I know you’re shocked, right?
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