Jack competes with Ryan Lochte (left) and … two other guys (center, right) … for a woman’s attention.
30 Rock built its relatively small but devoted audience in a three-pronged manner. First and foremost, it’s developed its own style of using and recycling distinct, outlandish jokes. The show’s bizzare-yet-workmanlike sense of humor always comes first.
It managed to tap into a previously vacant audience, as Liz Lemons across the world related with Tina Fey’s sharp-but-uncouth, irreverent-but-trying character. Fey has perfected the dual role of feminist extraordinaire and cat lady next door, inspirations to working women everywhere and to people who eat beans out of the can due to impatience.
And, as the show developed into the well-oiled machine it is today, it added a third defining trait that served as a hallmark to its legions of devotees: a refreshing breath of self-awareness. 30 Rock evolved into a program that could make fun of itself, its network, its surroundings, its fans and its advertisers, while always treading on the funny side of the line without venturing toward malice.
Last night’s “Stride of Pride,” while not a classic, demonstrated that even ho-hum episodes with no grand plot advancements can make for a quality half-hour of television by adhering to the show’s tried-and-true formula.
Much of the episode’s pathos is generated from a well that 30 Rock visits often: Liz Lemon’s fight for equality. This time, Tracy’s her opponent, as he refuses to acknowledge women can be funny. The two bicker ceaselessly, as Tracy asks her to cite one funny woman in the world, which Liz will not honor with a response. Boiling down the entire female gender to one funny woman would not speak well of the gender and Liz is on a quest to save all womankind from Tracy’s tweets.
What Tracy does find funny, though – and to his credit, is objectively hilarious – is a monkey dressed for work, a tiny suit and tiny briefcase adding to almost unfair cuteness. (Though, I was a bit disappointed Crystal the Monkey, who NBC seemingly has on retainer, didn’t offer his services to another network show. The Animal Practice star will always be Annie’s Boobs to me.)
Liz, somehow not spellbound by a monkey dressed to the nines, has to prove to Tracy that women can be funny, which can clearly only be done by harking back to her improv days and putting on a comedy routine with Jenna. Jenna is actually game for the show – though not as a favor, as she doesn’t give those out, but because she needs to skew older for a change.
Jenna’s “B” plot dovetails nicely with Liz’s, and it details her journey to representing renowned old-people company Gery-Chair as a spokeswoman. To get the gig, she has to become a “disclaimered” star. She’s spread to gossip magazines that she’s actually 56, which would make her one of those “She looks great! … for being 56” actresses. In true 30 Rock fashion, even product placement gets its own digs, as Jenna breaks the proverbial fourth wall to quickly tell viewers at home about “America’s No. 1 motorized chair climber,” before offering a quick wink.
The ability of 30 Rock to mine its own historyfor jokes is only rivaled by Arrested Development. The show’s ability to mess with its structure to allow literally every moment to be a possible joke is novel and deserves accolades. It’s this meta-commentary on the state of product placement that 30 Rock does so well.
After the telling wink, Jenna happily accepts Liz’s request to recreate the act from their improv days. However, Jenna, as always, has her own agenda: She knows nothing reminds us how old we all are like reliving the glory days and realizing how long ago they truly were.
As Jenna’s denying her true age, Jack’s coming to grips with his own. In a forgettable (but meaningful) subplot – which does at least connect on a few jokes – it’s revealed that he’s been seeing several women recently. Sans Avery, he’s decided he’ll have to have a woman for each element of his life, as surely one doesn’t exist that can fulfill all of Jack’s needs. But he’s grounded when he realizes one of his squeezes is reciprocating that dynamic. He comes to discover that Zarina Sbarro, of guess-which fortune, has also compartmentalized her male suitors, and Jack’s become the older father figure. He’s suddenly forced to view his habits and himself in a different context; after all, he’s not capable of providing Zarina the same love Ryan Lochte can. (Who is used sparingly, which I’m sure he appreciated. It’s tough “memorizing lines, and, trying to like, say ’em, and still, like, do movement all that.”)
While Jack accepts his fate, Liz and Jenna still fight for theirs. 30 Rock wrings as much over-the-top humor as it can from their performance, even setting it to some obnoxious, jangly music literally laying out the thematic thrust for Liz: Women can be funny. And the show’s a huge hit, as Tracy’s bellowing laughter fuels the duo. But, it’s not a full win for the ladies: Tracy only laughed because he found the idea of a woman being a doctor – which Liz portrayed – was hilarious to him.
“You know what? I’ll take it,” Liz decides.
Tidbits
–Ken Tremendous! For the unfamiliar, it’s a reference to Michael Schur and his majestic hair. Schur’s the co-creator of Parks and Recreation and the U.S. The Office.
–Good to see Grizz and Dot Com back. They can get laughs from the simplest of line readings.
–“I’m not even sure they serve lunch after … the ’90s.”
–“Like a silver back gorilla or Mitt Romney’s grandfather, I require more than one woman to …”
–“Another old guy wanted to buy my shirt”
–“No women are funny but you want me to put a monkey on the show.” Dig at the recently canceled Animal Practice?
–“Engaging!” I’m a big fan of Liz’s parent-friendly expletives.
–When Jenna mentions whether Jack really wants to drive five hours for rock climbing then be ready for sex, Alec Baldwin adds just the perfect inflection, raising his voice a touch as he says, “I mean, my back…” That’s why he’s Alec Baldwin.
–I don’t think the episode committed enough to the running Sex and the City joke for me to appreciate the references or for me to embrace the homage-filled ending. On the other hand, I could surely use some brunch right now.
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