From the moment this was first announced, I was really looking forward to this parody, which is probably why the end result leaves me wondering about all that could have been. The cast looks and sounds like the actors they are spoofing (Bishop being especially good at channeling Tracy Morgan). Furthermore the opening credits are recreated in great detail and the fact that Lisa Ann just like Tina Fey previously portrayed Sarah Palin made her starring role a shoe-in. Before you know it, the actual producers of 30 Rock then let it be known they were looking for actors to play porn versions of their regular cast in an upcoming episode (4.2: Into the Crevasse) but unfortunately they didn't go all the way and cast Lisa and cohorts, choosing New York based Savanna Samson (who previously made a couple of appearances on SNL) as 'Porn Liz' instead.
Still, the 30 Rock porno glimpsed on that episode alluded to some more interesting couplings than the New Sensations production. In fact, while there is plenty of hot sex on display in this XXX feature, the way the characters are paired up is rather uninspired, too politically correct and therefore, disappointing. First up Herschel Savage, playing Alec Baldwin's character, has sex with his Latino girlfriend Evie Delatosso (Salma Hayek on the show - but only in season 3). Next Ashlynn Brooke as Jenny Morona has sex with writer Fred (Chris Cannon) - which actually happened between Jenna and frank in another third season episode. This is probably the best scene in the picture, which is not surprising since Brooke is New Sensation's go-to girl and appears in each of their parodies. Then 'The Chic Show' (TCS) producer Peter (Ralph Long in a silly bald-cap) fantasizes about sex with Cherry (Amy Reid). Yes, that's right, this sex scene is all in his mind. And although Reid is only a few years older than 30 Rock's Katrina Bowden, she looks to be aging a bit faster (I guess that's what the porn biz will do to ya).
So finally Liz Limon gets her sex scene and unfortunately it's her only one (by comparison, in "Who's Nailin' Paylin" Lisa Ann was featured three times and in many other parodies the lead has at least two). Could it be with her boss Jake or her best friend Jenny (both of which are suggested in 'Into the Crevasse' ). Nope, they've already had their turn. Trey Jordan and his entourage then? No such luck, Bishop doesn't get any action and Griz & Dot Com don't appear at all. Instead it's Liz's most annoying ex boyfriend: 'the prince of pagers' (here played by James Deen). What kind of porn is this when none of the characters get to step out of bounds? Lisa and James give it their all, but I was expecting Lisa Ann to take her clothes off often and early, not just once past the half way point of the picture.
The final scene involves Ken the page (Paul Woodcrest), or rather his body double (Erik Everhard) in a threesome with Lana Violet and Rebeca Linares. To add insult to injury, it's yet another fantasy sequence! Give me a break. Lee Roy Meyers, you can do better than that! While the idea that wimpy Woodcrest is replaced by buff Everhard is kind of funny, this 30 minute sequence can hardly be called a satisfying finale. It doesn't even involve any of the main characters. Why didn't Trey Jordan get any action? Oh wait, let me guess, the way this was written, it would have been with his wife Angie instead of a non-supporting character.
But wait, there's more after the end credits in the shape of a TCS sketch Trey and Fred were brainstorming about earlier called ' Amish Zombie Cop' . It's obvious editor Eddie Powell had a lot of fun with this, using split screen and a Blaxploitation style voice over one. But since porn editors are used to utilizing every last frame in order to make the sex scenes last as long as possible, the same principle was applied to this fake trailer. Amish Zombie Cop would have been mildly amusing had it lasted under a minute, but at nearly four, it just becomes an unnecessary drag.
New Sensations has recently produced a sequel The Office XXX, so here's hoping they'll give 30 Rock a second episode as well with some more satisfying team-ups. They could even be inspired by "Into the Crevasse" and take some plot points from there. If not, somebody might persuade Tina Fey to write her own version, just like Liz Lemon did in that episode.
6 out of 10
PS: During the 'MTV Cribs' spoof that opens 30 Rock XXX (and also in the trailer) a snippet of a sketch called 'Black to the Future' is seen starring Bishop (as Trey Jordan) as Marty and Ashlynn Brooke (as Jenny) as Doc. While it's true to the real 30 Rock to not show the TGS/TCS sketches in full, this is one scenario I wouldn't have minded seeing further developed. As it is, another wasted opportunity.
PSS: Speaking of wasted opportunities: up and coming sex starlets Trisha Rey and Mia Lelani appear briefly as members of Ken's studio tour, could some more scenes have been filmed with them displaying their talents? Probably not.
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