TVSquad

(S02E15) "I'm just gonna be a kick-ass single mom. Like Erin Brokovich, or Sarah Connor." - Liz

30 Rock fans looking for laughs, plot twists, and a cliffhanger in the finale are probably happy. You got all that, plus a guest star (more than one, actually) that I didn't even know was going to be in the episode. And if you're one of the people who was wondering "what the heck does the episode title 'Cooter' even mean?," well, he's the secret to that (and Tina Fey has been using the term for a while now).

But some 30 Rock fans - I would go out on a limb and say most of you - weren't happy to find out who the father of Liz's maybe-baby might be.

The first time I watched this episode, I wasn't sure if it was some odd promotion for Tina Fey's Baby Mama movie. I mean, a plot about Liz, a single woman, becoming pregnant? Sure, there's no Amy Poehler-ish surrogate mom in the mix, but it seems like interesting timing nonetheless. But I don't really think it's any kind of secret cross-promotion. Now, the fact that the season finale also involved NBC's coverage of the 2008 Olympics, well, that might be a different story.

Kenneth is involved in that plot. He wants to work at the Olympics in Beijing and thinks he has two weeks to get his application/essay in. But he actually only has until the end of the day, thanks to a fake e-mail sent out by arch-nemesis page Donny. But Jenna can help with that. This plot has a resolution that I didn't see coming at all (Pete donning a bandanna and using his archery skills), but it really showcases one of this show's strengths: the call back to a funny/line scene earlier in the episode.

Back to Liz: approximately five different test strips say that she is indeed pregnant! And who is the father? Is it Floyd? No such luck. It's...Dennis!

[30 Rock fans place horrified screams here]

Just when you think we're rid of him, he shows up again. But don't worry fans: Liz isn't pregnant. The test strips showed a false positive because of those damn cheapo Mexican cheese curls she's been eating for the past few episodes. A sigh of relief all around, but let's hope that this scare means that Liz will finally smarten up and get rid of Dennis for good (why do I sense we haven't seen the last of him?). This isn't the end of the baby talk though. Liz wants to adopt, and Jack is going to help her. By the way, was anyone else really touched by the way Jack looked when Liz was leaving him all of those crazy answering machine messages? Funny how a show like 30 Rock can also do the nice stuff right too along with the humor. Baldwin deserves an Emmy for this scene alone, and he doesn't even say a word.

As for Jack, he's entrenched in his new job at Homeland Security (Weather Preparedness and The War on Poor People). Matthew Broderick is his boss there (nicknamed Cooter by President Bush), and the entire operation is a mess. Jack realizes he's made a big mistake by leaving NBC, so he and Cooter get together to get themselves fired. The fact that this involves a "gay bomb" might be one of the oddest plots we've seen on 30 Rock so far (and that's saying a lot).

Next week: well, there is no next week. We'll have to wait until the fall to see if Kenneth is killed in China (interesting season finale, Kenneth in bed with a woman and Jack turning temporarily gay), whether Tracy and Frank's porn/video game will be a success, and whether Don Geiss saying "Jackie Boy" in his coma means that Jack will be the new man in charge.

Until next season starts, some funny lines from the season finale:

- "Why don't I cross out the days like they do in the movies?!" - Liz, trying to figure out when she got pregnant

- "Cooter Burger? What does he think I am, a cartoon dog?!" - Riley, on his nickname

- "We need hope. We need change. We need experience. We need pens." - Jack, in his speech at the meeting

- "It's a guaranteed disaster. Like eating a burrito before sex." - Jack

- "I can't watch American Idol, because I have perfect pitch." - Jenna

- "I can't watch American Idol, because there's a waterbug on my channel changer!" - Kenneth

- "That was two years ago!" - Jenna, on her threesome with Roseanne and Tom Arnold

- "I will not fail you, rainbow chicken." - Kenneth, talking to his NBC Peacock pin

- "Don't overthink it. I don't want another Judi Dench situation." - Tracy, to Jenna, recording the audio for the video porn/game

- "You mean the war on poverty." - Liz, to Jack, now in charge of Homeland Security's Weather Preparedness and War On Poor People division

- GOREGASM: THE LEGEND OF DONG SLAVE - the name of Tracy's video/porn game