Jack McBrayer-related stories
What You Missed Last Night: Jack McBrayer on The Tonight Show
There isn't a new 30 Rock tomorrow night (there is a new Jay Leno Show however - sigh), but that doesn't mean we can't get our fix of Kenneth Parcell quirkiness this week. Jack McBrayer was on The Tonight Show last night. First clip is below and the other two clips are after the jump.
Continue reading What You Missed Last Night: Jack McBrayer on The Tonight Show
Review: 30 Rock - Sun Tea
(S04E06) "Oh brother. Are they really going to do something this year or just put that stupid green peacock in the corner of the screen?" - Liz, about NBC's Green WeekOK, I think we can all agree that this was one of the more disgusting episodes of 30 Rock. It's one thing to have Frank be really gross; we've seen that in previous episodes (the burping, the tank tops, the porn). But now we find out that he's urinating into jars in his office? I think that's officially holy crap disgusting, even if it does eventually help the Earth and give Jack flowers for his office.
It was also one of the least funny in a while, though that doesn't mean it didn't have its moments.
Continue reading Review: 30 Rock - Sun Tea
Review: 30 Rock - Stone Mountain
(S04E03) "I met JJ Abrams once, and I don't know what this means, but he said that the island was just Hurley's dream." - Jenna
In a typical 30 Rock episode, not all of the plots always work. While the A plot will be great, B and C will be lame. If A and B are great, then C will be lame. If A and C are great, B will be lame. Sometimes A is great and B is fair, but C will be really unnecessary and forced. Sometimes there will just be an A and it's great, and there will be dashes of B and C. I don't know where I'm going with this because I was terrible at algebra.
Oh yeah: tonight A, B, and C all clicked, and that made for a very good 30 Rock.
Continue reading Review: 30 Rock - Stone Mountain
30 Rock: Season 4 (season premiere)
(S04E01) "We'll trick those race-car loving wide-loads into watching your lefty homoerotic propaganda hour yet!" - Jack
One of the many, many reasons 30 Rock is one of my favorite shows is because it's well aware of its own world. For example, one of the running jokes tonight was about Josh (Lonny Ross). I spent most of the last two seasons wondering where Josh was. He'd make a cameo here and there, but he's been pretty much missing since the first season. Liz and Jack talked about this tonight when Jack revealed that TGS needed a new cast member and Liz wondered about Josh's popularity on the show. Jack said "Oh, that's right, Josh. I forgot about that guy. You think that's a good sign?"
For the record, Josh was indeed in this episode, for a few seconds. He quit and then attempted to tip over the table when he found out a new person was coming on to the show.
Continue reading 30 Rock: Season 4 (season premiere)
Here's a behind the scenes look at the new season of 30 Rock
I can't wait until the fourth season of 30 Rock starts a week from Thursday. Here's a sneak peek/behind the scenes look, with the cast talking about a new plot, guest stars, and what it's like working on the set. I'm already laughing. (Note: it's a bit spoilerish; not necessarily the plots but some great lines you'll hear this season).
[Watch episodes and clips of 30 Rock and other shows at SlashControl.]
Cynical Emmy rant: Jon Cryer... supporting actor?
I know people complained about this when the nominations came out, but for some reason, it just irked the hell out of me when Jon Cryer won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy.Not that I don't think Cryer deserved an Emmy. No, he does a great job as the uptight Alan Harper on Two and a Half Men. And, after all the failed shows and pilots, the man once known as Duckie deserves recognition for the fine actor his is... just not as a supporting actor.
Continue reading Cynical Emmy rant: Jon Cryer... supporting actor?
What You Missed Last Night: Julia Louis-Dreyfus steals another award
Remember last year when Julia Louis-Dreyfus stole Tina Fey's Emmy on Late Night with Conan O'Brien? She did it again last night, only this time she stole an Oscar. I'm still not sure why Kenneth the Page is now in Los Angeles. Did he get transferred when Conan left 30 Rock? What does that mean for 30 Rock?
30 Rock: The Natural Order
(S03E20) "It's the biggest regret of my life, Lemon. And I once made love to Kathy Hilton." - Jack, about not confronting his dadOh, come on. There's no way that Liz Lemon would be that incompetent when it comes to replacing a water bottle. It was like she was a mixture of Steve Urkel and Barney Fife, dropping the bottle, getting herself soaked. I mean, she could have at least known that you take the empty jug off before you attempt to put the new one on. That whole scene was odd. It went on a lot longer and was more slapstick-oriented than most 30 Rock gags.
Continue reading 30 Rock: The Natural Order
30 Rock: The Bubble
(S03E15) "His video game made a fortune and he invested all of it in a company that dismantles bank signs. They're doing very well." - Jack, about TracyI have to really disagree with Jack and Cerie: Liz Lemon is a bubble person.
Sure, Cerie is hot, but Jack himself admits that he hasn't been great looking since he was 25 and still had really blue eyes. They think Liz is merely nice and "pleasant looking"? That's crazy talk. Tina Fey is a bubble person.
That's a line I never thought I'd actually type, but she is. She really is. Liz should get what she wants a lot more than she does.
Continue reading 30 Rock: The Bubble
30 Rock: The Funcooker
(S03E14) "Passing out? Cursing? On St. Patrick's Day? Is nothing sacred?" - JackWasn't it great to see an episode of 30 Rock that revolved around NBC and TGS and the work of the staff? Sure, there was the plot with Liz trying to get out of jury duty, but even that was tied into her work life at the studio. We've had a lot of episodes that had the various characters scattered away from each other, involved with people and places that had nothing to do with NBC, so it's great to see the writing staff working together, Jenna going crazy at the studio, Tracy wanting to take over all of the advertising on the show, and Jack working on a new microwave product.
Continue reading 30 Rock: The Funcooker
Saturday Night Live: Alec Baldwin/The Jonas Brothers - VIDEOS
(S34E16) It was pretty obvious there was going to be at least two sketches with the Jonas Brothers. I called it! I mean, no one apart from the people in my apartment know I called it, but that doesn't change the facts or my sad sense of accomplishment. I had to tune out once they started singing (sorry, 15 year-old girls), but their skits were all right. Alec Baldwin did a fine job of hosting as well, though there weren't any particularly striking sketches. I suppose after doing something like "Schwetty Balls", just about everything else will pale in comparison.
Continue reading Saturday Night Live: Alec Baldwin/The Jonas Brothers - VIDEOS
30 Rock: St. Valentine's Day
(S03E11) "Nice ... you mean like stew?" - Liz to Jack, about what dinner to make DrewOK, I think it's officially time to call out an APB on Josh and the rest of the writing staff. They're missing again this week. Not many supporting characters at all this week. Even Jenna had only one quick (though very funny) scene, while Frank was reduced to just handing off one of the subplots to Kenneth. I really want to see this show get back to some episodes about TGS and NBC and the inner working of the show. It's like TGS is on summer hiatus or something.
Having said that, this episode was quite good.
Continue reading 30 Rock: St. Valentine's Day
30 Rock: Senor Macho Solo
(S03E07) Love was in the air in this episode of 30 Rock. It seems as though everyone had something going on in their personal life. Jack fell in love with his mother's nurse, Liz found a little person to fill the baby-shaped hole in her heart, Tracy and Angie reignited the spark in their marriage, and Frank, well, Frank got to watch Tracy and Angie do it on Kenneth's desk. So everyone was a winner!
Generally, I think 30 Rock does a great job with guest stars, but this season has been a little disappointing so far. With the exception of the Oprah episode, the constant stunt casting has made it feel a little bit like the last seasons of Will and Grace. However, this week's episode, despite having three guest stars, didn't feel like that at all. Maybe it's because there were three, but they fit into the episode, instead of feeling like the episode was written around them.
Continue reading 30 Rock: Senor Macho Solo
Merry Christmas from Kenneth the Page - VIDEO
The web has really opened the doors to the possibilities for what the networks can do. Some haven't done that much, and even the ones that do took a long time to actually harness the power of the web (and if I ever use the phrase "harness the power of the web" again you can punch me in the groin). I like it when cast members of the shows do something online that's in character but isn't just a promotion for the show.Case in point, this video from NBC. It shows 30 Rock's Kenneth the Page in a Santa hat all excited about Christmas (and the anniversary of the "Parcell Massacre"), dancing around the 30 Rock hallways with a chair. If you're not in the Christmas mood already, this might put you over the top. McBrayer is great because he seems to be up for anything, including being knocked over by Conan O'Brien.
I'd rather watch video sketches like this than those special "webisodes" that some shows have now. More please!
Continue reading Merry Christmas from Kenneth the Page - VIDEO
30 Rock: Christmas Special
(S03E06) "What's the past tense of scam? Is it scrumped? Liz Lemon, I think you've just been scrumped." - TracyIsn't it interesting how a funny, fast-paced, irreverent, sometimes surreal comedy like 30 Rock can also somehow grab you emotionally? Maybe it's because it's funny and irreverent 98% of the time the emotional parts hit you a little bit harder. They're unexpected and really welcome. Like the end of tonight's episode. Who could have expected the show would end with a piano duet between Jack and his mother? I've always liked Jack's mom, and it was really nice to see their relationship get better amidst all the usual TGS craziness. Some shows just have a Christmas show that isn't much different than their regular episodes, only with more lights and tinsel. Good to see this show actually make the holiday count.
I'm a sucker for Christmas episodes.
Gone Too Soon: Invasion
Scrubs season nine -- An early look
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
