(S02E05) "Saving The Environment While Maintaining Profitability." - Greenzo's slogan for NBC's Green Week
I really don't know how I feel about all of these guest stars this season. On the one hand, they've all worked. It was natural to have Jerry Seinfeld on the season opener (even if he was on just to plug that damn movie) because he was an old NBC star. Carrie Fisher worked because she wasn't hyping anything and is a great character actress. And now in this episode we have both David Schwimmer and Al Gore. They were OK too, mostly because the show around them was so strong, but I can really see this show tipping too far over the line with needless celeb cameos. I really hope that doesn't happen.
But Schwimmer was good as Greenzo, NBC's superhero mascot for Green Week, which really is going now, not just in the parallel 30 Rock NBC universe. Schwimmer plays a dick really well (not sure what that says, though Letterman had a joke a few weeks ago: "Will Rogers said he never met a man he didn't like, but then again he never met David Schwimmer"). The Greenzo scenes were really well done (I thought they'd be forced). I particularly liked the Today Show scenes, and the scene where Greenzo asked Jack about Meredith Vieira: "Dude, have you hit that?"
The subplots were some of the most bizarre this season: Kenneth hosting a party that goes completely out of control (thanks to Tracy's rumors), Pete having an "affair" with his wife that included Liz's bed and Pop Tarts (gah), and Grizz and Dot Com trying to please Josh with their "coolness." Really good to see the writing staff back into the plot in a big way. So many jokes flying back and forth. This really felt like a first season episode more than the other shows this season.
If I could point out one line that really made me burst out laughing: when Jack is telling Liz about what the market research surveys were saying about Greenzo, he said "Look how Greenzo is testing... all the demographics love him ... colored people, broads, fairies, Commies ... gosh, we gotta update these forms."
The Cheers episode Ken Levine's still writing in his head
Giveaway Tuesday: Fastlane - The Complete Series
Giveaway Monday: The X-Files: Revelations on DVD
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-09-2007 @ 12:47AM
Tele-Toby said...
I don't really get the complaint against guest stars on '30 Rock'. Every TV show has guest stars each week for the characters to bounce off. It can't be a bottle show with just the regular cast each week, that would grow stale.
In cameos playing themselves, the two choices this week were perfect - Meredith Viera especially so for her connection to NBC, but also Al Gore as the ultimate riff on this whole "Green" movement at NBC.
As for Schwimmer, the character of Greenzo was a necessary component of the episode; was the complaint that Schwimmer played him? Somebody had to. I got the feeling you didn't want him in there just because he's now a famous face thanks to 'Friends'. The guy's never going to work again if that's held against him.
I have no problem with the show casting a famous name in a role rather than an unknown; it's a given for helping the show with publicity.
Maybe I'm mis-reading your objections; wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong. But so far I think the guest stars have been good for the show. They were great for '30 Rock' last year as well......
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11-09-2007 @ 12:59AM
Jeff N. said...
This was a very funny episode. I love this show.
Jack's hair after Kenneth's party was good for big laugh just in itself.
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11-09-2007 @ 1:10AM
shawn said...
the only show i can think of that doesn't do guest stars is the office. so i don't see it as a problem :)
but tonights episode was great
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11-09-2007 @ 1:18AM
carterman said...
I loved the part after the party where Kenneth mentions to Liz, "I have never seen Griz and Dot-Com cry like that before." The episode was brilliant, and I loved how it took some playful jabs at this pretentious Green crap NBC is doing.
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11-09-2007 @ 1:46AM
Paul said...
The guest stars work for "30 Rock" better than any other show. The ones that are on playing themselves make sense, because the show takes place in a fictionalized version of the real entertainment world. The ones playing characters (like Schwimmer or Fisher) make sense because they're good actors and have the opportunity to bring along some extra people to the show that may not normally watch.
Best episode of Season 2 so far!
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11-09-2007 @ 1:59AM
kyler said...
"ooo-kay. this earth is ruined. we gotta get a new one"
i was just waiting for al gore to start making whooshing noises when he went off to save the whale. that was too perfect.
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11-09-2007 @ 2:14AM
Bash said...
Happy Halloween baby! *rofl*
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11-09-2007 @ 2:46AM
James J. Gutierrez said...
wasnt the al gor bit, the same thing that was on south park awhile back?
great series, weak episode.
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11-09-2007 @ 5:09AM
Thomas said...
My Name is Earl has a load of famous faces popping up on it, no-one ever mentions that.
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11-09-2007 @ 6:04AM
radwimp said...
"WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE POPTARTS?!"
Bizarre episode... but I think this was the funniest of the new season. Not the most solid, kind of had ADD going between so many stories... but had so many laughs. Everyone had a great line, which is why I'm not too worried about the guests hogging stuff anymore.
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11-09-2007 @ 7:27AM
KMF said...
I loooovvved this episode! It was hilarious. One of my favourite parts was the disjointed almost hallucinatory flashbacks on Kenneth's party. The sober morning after meeting was a scream. Even Al Gore was funny!
The part that made me laugh outloud was Liz dressed like Harry Potter and Kenneth dressed like Austin Powers. That was soo dorky and funny all in one, I totally lost it.
I think the guest star work best on 30 Rock. It totally fits.
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11-09-2007 @ 7:36AM
freefoo said...
This show was like riding a wild-ride at an amusement park, but I loved it. The party scenes and all of the next-day recriminations were so perfect of an office party gone terribly terribly wrong. The pop-tart thing just slew me. I don't mind the guest starts. Probably helps with ratings, and anything that helps keep this show on the air works for me.
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11-09-2007 @ 8:28AM
OnlyRumors said...
And KMF, not only were they dressed up as Harry Potter and Austin Powers, but they were listening to Werewolf Bar Mitzvah! (Spooky, Scary!)
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11-09-2007 @ 9:06AM
veeelchop said...
loved the pop-tart bit.
the warped camera lens at the party was perfect. did they use a MESMERIZER special effect lens?
and any episode that features even a second of WEREWOLF BARMITZVAH is a winner in my book. maybe the funniest bit on TV this year.
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11-09-2007 @ 9:22AM
horsenbuggy said...
Jack delivered a line to his assistant that had me in stitches, though I can't remember it now. I think it was the way he responded to the assistant telling him that he had to be at Kenneth's party if the big boss was going to be there.
While I didn't mind the Greenzo stuff, the story about the party ended up being WAY funnier. I didn't see how they were going to make the party funny, but just showing those LSD-like flashbacks while they were all convened in Jack's office being chastised by Kenneth was brilliant. And it was even funnier when the stupid assistant walked in with "TOOL" written on his forehead. PERFECT!
I really wish the NBC promos department hadn't ruined Gore's whale line. I would have really laughed at that if I hadn't known it was coming.
I don't agree that this was the best episode of the season. (It will be seriously hard to beat Jack and Tracy in therapy.) However, 30 Rock is by far the funniest show that has been on the air for a long time, probably since season 1 of Sports Night. I love The Office, but not even it makes me laugh as much as this show.
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11-09-2007 @ 9:26AM
Bob Sassone said...
Just to be clear, I loved this episode and loved Schwimmer, Gore, and Vieira in their roles. I just get nervous when a show starts adding famous face after famous face, and there were three in this episode alone. If anyone can pull it off it's 30 Rock, but I would hate to see the show go the stunt casting route of Will and Grace.
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11-09-2007 @ 9:54AM
R-Bro said...
I fell on the floor laughing twice during this episode:
1) "My god, we've gotta update these forms."
2) "I love foxy boxing! It combines two of my favorite things: boxing and referees!"
Still laughing this morning...
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11-09-2007 @ 11:02AM
kevjohn said...
I don't mind the guest stars on this show so far, but in wouldn't tune in just to see them either. At least they haven't reached the level of utter annoyance that the guests on Will & Grace did. Of course when your guest stars are the likes of Madonna, Sanda Bernhart, and Cher, then you're dancing on the precipice of banality to begin with.
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11-09-2007 @ 11:52AM
khamel said...
the episode was pretty good but the lines about commies and broads was unbelievably great.
and i still love tracy morgan. i might be in the minority but hes my favorite character (after alec baldwin of course).
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11-09-2007 @ 12:26PM
pixel41 said...
This episode was above-average...and the average shows are still some of the funniest shows on TV! I LOVE this show. I sure hope NBC does this show right and keeps it on Thursday right in the middle of the other shows.
I am a devout "The Office" fan, but since last year have been finding myself wanting to watch my recorded 30 Rock before it (OR Earl, which is unfortunately getting pretty blah).
Keep it up 30 Rock, you're my favorite comedy on television!!
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