It's a great, funny show. Fey is very good in the lead role; she blew away my expectations. Kudos to her for creating such a fun, funny, witty and quality TV show. Baldwin is at his dry-witted, brilliant best (someone at work said to me, "yeah I heard Alec Baldwin is in it, but isn't that show a comedy?" ...did not know the man did comedy. Did not know). Morgan (who I don't normally like; not on SNL or elsewhere) is hysterical and plays the role perfectly. The minor characters are all very good and amusing, and I can't wait to see them develop more and more. The writing/material is quality crazy with sit-com wackiness, sketch comedy variety/character and fast-paced intelligent wit. If you like to laugh (something a comedy should make you do), please check this show out; if you think a lot of the other crap on TV is amusing, you'll really love this one. Hurry, before it gets canceled.
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ChillYoda28 October 2006
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ween-324 December 2006It's always been my contention that great comedians make some of the best dramatic actors.
Well, what we have here is the corollary to the above-stated theorum. Our good buddy, Alec Baldwin, he of the "Third place is you're fired" monologue from "Glengarry", has quietly honed his comic timing via a run of "SNL" appearances and movie roles ("State and Main")and emerged as one of the funniest actors around. His delivery has gotten so good that he's become one of those guys that's funny standing still, before he utters word one. You're laughing before you even know what the premise is. It's a hard pill to swallow, but it's gotten to the point that I don't know if I'll ever be able to watch Alec Baldwin again in a dramatic role without lapsing into hysterics before he deigns to offer a line of dialogue. "30 Rock" may put the final nail in the notable career of Alec Baldwin-"Serious Actor", but I sure ain't complaining. If for no other reason, you should be watching this show just to see him deliver a line.
And if you still want another reason, Jack McBrayer is a flat-out hoot, and Tina Fey, who wisely scrambled from the deck of "SNL" before the ship utterly submerged, is obviously having the time of her life.
"30 Rock" fits neatly into the "no laugh-track zone" that has become NBC's funniest Thursday night line-up ever. -
JayWolfgramm15 April 2022It can be tricky doing a review for a series like "30 Rock" because the quality of the show fluctuates so much between season to season, and even episode to episode. I mainly base my 7/10 on what are the odds you'd pick a funny episode if you put all episodes on shuffle. In that situation, chances are, you'd land on a pretty funny episode.
I'm not sure if it had something to do with the writers' strike of the time, but the series had a major slog of bad episodes towards the end of season 4, and onward to season 5. Season 5 managed to have some funny gems in there, helped by some funny cameos giving the series some much needed support.
Characters would make out of character decisions for the sake of a joke, and some of the running storylines of the series grew very stale and repetitive. The show also became very political during this stretch. To some, I'm sure that's fine, but if you're like me, and go to TV for some escapism, then these episodes fell flat. And I guess I'm fine with being political, as long as the jokes are still funny. But often these political episodes would just have unfunny jokes.
But when the series is good, it is laugh out loud funny. There would be moments where you would laugh so hard that you would have to pause or rewind the show to catch what the next joke was.
The series used a lot of topical jokes of the time. So references to "Hairspray", "The Bee Movie", "Halo 3" and Mitt Romney may make the show a bit dated going back to it. But I think it adds to the charm, and makes the show a real time capsule for ~2007.
The series, uses a lot of 4th wall breaking jokes, and a good number of cut-away gags. So if that type of humor isn't for you, then the show won't seem all that funny.
Much like the show, this review was a bit all over the place, but in the end I enjoyed it. -
Elain-ee29 February 2020I'm rewatching the series in 2020 after having discovered it in a library almost a decade ago and WOW! Has it aged well! Or maybe it's just that the world has aged badly in intervening years.
Step into 30 Rock and inhabit a world where female wit is a force to be reckoned with; where every actor gets their 2.5 minutes of fame per episode, and every character brilliantly subverts their own stereotypes in a way that's deep but not at all serious. From the mid life crisis man in Adsit, to the self sabotaging female boss in Fey, to the rags to riches star in Morgan, the aging fame addicted starlet in Krakowski... you never get tired of seeing the layers fall away from these people. It's light, but still riveting. And it is all tied together by plot arcs that are as insane as the best SNL skits (and funnier, in many cases).
By far, though, the best thing about watching this after several years is that it is so packed with one liners and sharp, snide social commentary that you can watch it again and again and still see new angles and perspectives. There's almost too much to take in in one single viewing in any of these episodes - and that's a great thing if you're a fan of the series, which I am.
I have a feeling you will be, too. -
Hagar78 October 2007I wasn't sure to expect from 30 Rock, having watched the steady decline of SNL over the last seven years or so. I felt, however, that this was not really a result of the writing as much as it was of the underutilization and/or departure of the most talented players (Ferrell, Oteri, and now Maya Rudolph, for example) and the periodic overexposure of less talented players (I'm looking at you, Jimmy Fallon). I was also encouraged by the fact that the many of the bright spots in SNL's history during that period were provided by host Alec Baldwin. So I was not 100% surprised to find that I love 30 Rock. Baldwin is, as usual, brilliant, and Tina Fey is a fantastic writer who also is humble enough to recognize her strengths and limitations as an actor. Tracy Morgan is constantly off his chain and, along with Baldwin and Jack McBrayer, provides most of the "God, I had to rewind because it was so damned ridiculous" moments ("Imagine Christmas wishes shooting out of your eyes.") The supporting cast is also talented and well utilized; I was very glad to see that "Toofer" and "Cerie," among others, were upgraded to regulars for Season Two. From political satire to slapstick, it's all here. And as an African-American, I was impressed by the way racial issues were handled, from the use of the "N word" to the "white guilt" issues to the country club episode; they were skillfully handled, as some of these are hot button topics and could have gone very, very wrong. This show is just plain good.
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berelson14 May 2009This show has the best writing on TV to date. I know Fey was the original creator of this show. She has reinvented comedy and especially women's place in it. Kudos Tina! You deserve all your success! I've been looking in vein on line to get the full list of staff writers for 30 rock but have yet to find the full list. They all deserve praise. The wit and repartee apparent in the writing is supreme... and the direction isn't too shabby either.
They also include a lot of parody of the genre as well as self deprecating humor. And the way they weave cross product plugs either in extreme obvious ways or so subtly the viewers don't know what hit them. This is true genius. An Emmy is not enough. OK... maybe not a Nobel Prize... but close? -
LeonardOsborneKael5 January 2007There's an ever-so-faint "Woody Allen" tinge to this inspired behind the scenes look at a live network TV comedy show. But Tina Fey and the other writers can ALWAYS be counted on to take everything just a step or two farther. The performances are uniformly brilliant. Jane Krakowski is delicious as the slightly passé actress who blissfully pounces on the feeblest opportunity to perform. Tracy Morgan is unrestrainedly larger than life in a role that only he could play. Alec Baldwin has such a rich insight into his convoluted, unpredictable character and plays him with such abandon -- it just makes you gasp! And the rest of the cast plays with a level of virtuosity that has only been seen a few times in the history of network television. The comedy is so dense and so polished that it's hard to believe you are watching a weekly program. I come by way of Monty Python, SNL, SCTV, Kids In The Hall, Frasier, Seinfeld, Larry Sanders, Jackie Thomas, Newsradio, Just Shoot Me, and Everybody Loves Raymond. I can hardly believe I'm saying this, but, even after all these GREAT comedies, I think this is the smartest and the funniest TV show I've ever seen!
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trixie303@hotmail.com20 January 2007-Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey are brilliant -the writing is so funny and appealing to both a male and female sense of humor -I love Liz Lemon. This is a female character I don't think I've really seen before or not for a very long time. She is smart and nerdy and neurotic and successful...and she can hang with the guys and is kind of a dweeb...so relatable for nerdy girls like me! This and Ugly Betty (for different reasons) are the best new shows and they will run for a long long time.
The writing is so good and caters to smarty-pants type of people who like their comedy wry and subtle...
I applaud you Tina Fey: you are genius and the best TV heroine right now. -
newtongop5 January 2007If you've watched SNL this year (2006 -2007) you realize just how much they miss Tina Fey's writing. I think last night was episode 8 and like all previous shows it was "laugh out loud" funny. "Red wine is just not your drink", Jane Krakowski's character tells Fey's Liz Lemon. Fey has surrounded herself with some terrific unknowns including a guy who looks a lot like Jimmie Fallon who did some unfreeking believable impressions last night. Alec Baldwin WILL win the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor. Even Tracy Morgan, never my favorite on SNL, is terrific as the Martin Lawrence-esquire insane 'star'. Tina Fey has always been the reluctant sex symbol but she 'takes one for the team' and has done several episodes dressed to the nines causing jaws to drop across America. Now that the show is part of the best NBC Thursday lineup assembled since the Seinfeld-Frasier days, look for a long, healthy life for "30 Rock".
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KUAlum266 January 2007Who better to make a show,comedy or no,about the backstage goings-on with a live,sketch comedy show,than Tina Fey,the former head writer and anchor for "Saturday Night Live"? After pitching the idea a few times to the network,Fey finally got her chance here and it is very strong!
Fey is Liz Lemon,a put-upon,single,thirty-something who heads up the writing and production of "The Girlie Show". It's tottered along just fine to this point,but when the network's hired mucky muck,an arrogant ass whose entertainment experience is almost nil and whose previous departmental supervision dealt with hardware appliances named JAck Donaghy(Alec Baldwin,relishing his ubiquity as comedic ace and character actor everyman)is hired to overlook the show's productionthe pot gets stirred. His first move is to shake up the cast of her show by bringing aboard Tracy Jordan(Tracy Morgan,who REDEFINES acting with abandon),a talented comic with alarming tendencies to emotional meltdowns and irrational behavior.
To make life just a little harder for Liz,she has to deal with:a sexually insecure blonde starlet with aging problems(Jane Krackowski)who considers Liz a friend;an oily,selfish boyfriend;writers who aren't very supportive(Judah Friedlander,Scott Adsit among them)and an unnaturally perky network page(Jack McBrayer).
I understand why NBC was more apt to put the PR rush for Aaron Sorkin's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip",but this is EASILY the better show between the two of them,not the least of which because Miss Fey's work on SNL and the decision to make this show more than bitingly ironic and preachy(as Studio 60 seems to be),comedic and yet not gimmicky. I'm rooting for this show to succeed,and for once,I feel like the network nursing this show is willing to oblige my(and I know I'm not alone feeling this)wishes. -
smaguilar6 June 2021Great show that ran too long. First four seasons I rate 9. Consistently brilliant writing, great ensemble cast, many laugh out loud scenes. But it's very difficult to maintain this level of consistency year after year. Cracks start showing in season 5, but there are still plenty of good episodes, rate it 7. Seasons 6 and 7 take a nosedive as the writers run out of ideas and the comedy degenerates from witty fun to just plain stupid, rating drops to 5. So I give the show overall rating of 7.
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sinshycodo141227 January 2022Tina Fey is one of the best comedy writers of all time. Her Emmys and Golden Globes don't lie. She works amazing with everyone and the chemistry behind the scenes between her and Lorne Michaels is transferred onto the screen via the quality and self awareness of the show. Of course we can't forget the amazing Alex Baldwin and the young talented writer Donald Glover.
Overall one of the best, clever and funniest shows on TV. -
Bored_Dragon21 August 2018This show was nominated for over 300 awards, won nearly 100, including 6 Golden Globes. I find it quite entertaining, but honestly, that's too much. It's a down-to-earth sitcom with well developed believable characters, portrayed by some pretty good actors. It is intelligent and witty, but not funny enough to be so praised. And Tracy Morgan is unbelievably irritating and also completely unnecessary for the story. The show would work the same, if not even better, without him. He's really spoiling it for me.
6/10 -
lindalong052926 October 2006Alec Baldwin is great in this role. This is a very witty and funny show. It's not your usual numbing with canned laughter waste of 30 minutes. The characters are quirky and believable - they remind me of some people I work with. The only character that doesn't gel with me is Tracy Jordan. Somehow, it's not a good fit for him. Whereas Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin along with the rest of the cast are essential to the success of the show, Tracy Jordan could easily be left out and the show would still work.
If I'm not going to be home, I make sure it's recorded. This could turn into a very, very successful sitcom. Already it plays well even though it's quite new. It flows smoothly and the chemistry is there.
I've put the word out at work to be sure and tune in. -
noelsfilm15 December 2022This is one of the best comedy shows of the past 30 years. Extremely well written, the shows creator draws on her time at Saturday Night Live to showcase the insanity behind productions at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
Most episodes center around scrambling over some hurdle to try and deliver a live show by the end of the week, but how they intermingle and deal with the problems is where the hilarity lies.
The casting is perfect and peppered with hilarious cameos throughout the series. Every role is well acted but let us not forget how smart the writing is. I'm a sucker for comedy laced with endearing moments and 30 Rock is full of that. You have the ability to look at the characters and agree that they aren't necessarily "good" but you still care about them and see that at times they're just doing their best. -
fudge_farmer28 November 2006After the last few lackluster seasons of Saturday Night Live, I was worried that this show would suffer from the same affliction as those terrible SNL-based films, like The Ladies Man, Superstar, Coneheads, Night at the Roxbury.... but 30 Rock is actually a character-driven comedy, rather than a gag-driven one like those films.
Tina Fey managed to put together a great cast using classic sitcom archetypes. Alec Baldwin is hilarious and subdued as the meddling nitwit boss, Tracey Morgan is genuinely brilliant as the wild and crazy black guy, and newcomer Jack McBrayer is thoroughly enjoyable as the creepy intern. Of course, the whole show is centered on Tina Fey, the constantly put-upon producer of an SNL-type late night comedy show. She has great comedic sensibilities, but she has wisely surrounded herself with a fantastic ensemble cast.
The show is literally jam-packed with laugh-out-loud gags, so even when one joke doesn't work, there's at least two other jokes that do work around the corner. After Tracey Morgan's last sitcom flopped, I feared that we'd seen the last of him. As the Martin Lawrence-esquire egocentric star of the show-within-a-show, Morgan excels. Without the burden of carrying the entire show, Morgan is able to fully realize his potential playing 30 Rock's a psychotic, preening celebrity host. The real gem on the show is Alec Baldwin, who usually gets the best one-liners as the idiot-savant NBC executive who can manage a big business but not his own life. But what really makes the show work is its cast of veteran comedic character actors who staff the fictional comedy show, including Scott Adsit of HBO's Mr. Show and Judah Friedlander from the film American Splendor.
30 Rock premiered on NBC at the same time as the similarly themed Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, another SNL-based series. While Studio 60 took the dramatic route, 30 Rock went comedic. In the end, 30 Rock is better, however. Studio 60 suffers from too much moralizing and a large cast that the scripts can't quite manage to service.
My only complaint about 30 Rock is that we don't see enough of SNL-alum Rachel Dratch on camera. Rumor has it that she was meant to be a main cast member, but the network demanded her role be cut out. It's a shame because she is one of the funniest women in television. -
lakerap21 November 2021The writing is impeccable, quick, and smart. IMO, the smartest written Television comedy of our generation. Re-watchable beyond belief, and consistently funny with each viewing. Somehow it also respects both political sides and makes fun of both and all. Incredible show, for real.
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jerry-48619 October 2006After two shows...
1. Snappy dialog.
2. Alec Baldwin great network honcho with deep expertise in oven technology. He gives himself his own rating: "it's 5 but it's thick."
3. Tina Fey great writer and same acting we saw on SNL. Let's just say she's a better writer.
4. Tracy Morgan's character is surprising. They are going to do interesting things with him, I think. Kind of a savant when you least expect it.
I recommend it whole-heartedly. Watching this show is a lot more fun than trying to submit a comment to this site that appears to have been hosted by the Third Reich. -
leenalensiitm5 November 2023This is one of the best show ever!!! It is very funny and gets funnier on every rewatch. Every time I rewatch I find some new joke that I missed before. This show has the highest jokes per minute rate. You may not get all the jokes at one watch.
All the characters are hilarious and they are very unique and interesting. My favourite is Kenneth.
The show may not be interesting if you watch it in the background like any other comedy show, this is a well thought out series, with jokes and punch line in every scene. You need to concentrate to appreciate and enjoy it. The show and characters will start to grow on you. -
henrywillis21 September 2018Tina Fey's rise through SNL was already well underway when 30 Rock debuted and the so it was no surprise that it would be just so good. Incredibly witty with some of the funniest characters ever assembled this show is about a fictional live comedy show headquartered in 30 Rockefeller. Tina Fey- the writer and main star has based the show on her experiences in Saturday Night Live and many of the crew have been assembled from the famed sketch show. Alec Baldwin is the scene stealer as the new network executive and even the normally unwatchable Tracy Morgan somehow finds his slot here. This is a must watch satire from the incredibly talented Tina Fey.
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FeastMode2 October 2020Season 1: 8/10 (about 3 viewings, 9/30/2020)
funny throughout with some hilarious parts. Don't blink or you'll miss something funny
Season 2: 7/10 (about 3 viewings, 10/6/2020)
not as hilarious as season 1. But was able to make it through the writers' strike with another good season
Season 3: 8/10 (about 3 viewings, 10/14/2020)
so funny, so clever. I really can't get over how smart the writing is. Tina fey is awesome.
Season 4: 8/10 (about 3 viewings, 10/20/2020)
Season 5: 7/10 (about 3 viewings, 10/2020)
Season 6: 6/10 (about 3 viewings, 11/9/2020)
Season 7: 6/10 (about 3 viewings, 11/17/2020) -
brandon-proctor23 August 2019This is one of the best TV shows ever written and it developed some of the most memorable characters ever created. I can't say enough good things about this show. If you don't get it and you don't like it, then you're probably better off just watching something a bit more...simple. However, if you crave witty quips and brilliant writing then look no further. I only wish it could have gone on for 20 seasons.
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I've watched about half the first series, but watched all of only five or six episodes. The premise is great, Tina Fey can be brilliant and the rest of cast is good but two things ruin the show: the completely predictable, inconsistent scripts and the most overrated "comedian" in the world, Tracy Morgan. He is annoying, unwatchable and manages to make a bearable show unbearable.
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garciafilm13 August 2007Television Comedy is in a sad sad state if this is considered one of the best comedies on TV. The jokes are cheep, and formulaic. Instead of playing to the lowest common denominator they are in fact lowering the bar. The characters are impossible to connect with being little more than cheep stereotypes. It's like a badly written SNL take off of Studio 60 that just wont die. I'd give it a 1 but I like the production design. I can only imagining they bought their Emmy nominations. Visually it's irritating. They can't seem to decide if they're filming The Office or Law and Order. What happened to the days of the live studio audience? Are they afraid the audience just wont laugh. Many of the jokes are so bad and offensive any self respecting audience would walk out. Or possibly go old school and start throwing thing. Don't support this show. Demand something better! Demand comedy with thought put into it that doesn't insult our intelligence.
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karen-loethen18 March 2020I'm watching this in 2020 and ever single episode is timely and hilarious.
This series is completely unique. The many cameos are unexpected and brilliant. The cast is AMAZING. This ensemble piece is the best thing on TV!