30 ROCK: The One With the Cast From Night Court

Leave it to 30 ROCK to borrow the episodic naming scheme of “Friends” and then use it not to spotlight the episode’s actual “Friends” alumnus but an acting trio from another, even more distantly past NBC sitcom.

Yes, Liz and Jenna’s old Chicago buddy Claire blew into town in the form of Jennifer Aniston, sporting a strange jumble of handmade hats and one of those classic Midwestern full-body tans. (Has a 30 ROCK guest star ever looked more out of place? From her bare & buff arms to her meticulously sun-bleached locks, I had a hard time reconciling the sheer physicality of her with the pale and considerably less taut New York likenesses of our usual crew.)

I know she’s still America’s favorite girlfriend next door and all (isn’t she?), but Aniston felt out of sync with the pace of the whole affair, or maybe it was that she wasn’t given anything very funny to say or do. Weird hats? Frank wears weird hats every day, although seeing him grin like a horny toad in a green felt Merry Men cap was a fine sight, and Jack in his club-ready Mad Hatter topper, along with his usual suit and tie, was even more so. Oh who am I kidding, weird hats are always funny! But it was Claire’s catnip affect on Jack, that alpha malest of men, that brought the payoff, as he once again proved that corporate smarts are no match for the lure of easy sex with a crazy lady. Claire’s appearance also dialed Liz’s nerd quotient up to high, and her half-hearted attempts at hipness (i.e., clubbing at Chili’s and dancing in high heels) were nicely punctuated by her inability to operate her own cell phone. And my favorite thing about Liz Lemon is that she couldn’t care less about how hip she is not. You know what I mean.

In other worlds, Kenneth came unhinged over the replacement of his trusty navy blue page jacket with one that is—hold on to your crazy hats—charcoal gray, which gave Tracy another golden opportunity to raise his spirits, Tracy-style. There is nothing like the sweetness of Tracy Jordan crafting a solution that’s all out of proportion with the fundamental nature of the problem, especially when that means staging an elaborate fake wedding between two 1980s sitcom characters. The “Night Court” storyline took up a lot of time (I’m reaching my special limit on special guest stars), but was a fun out-of-left-field reunion nevertheless—and certainly it was no shock that Jenna (as were-lawyer Sparky Monroe) turned out to be the reason for that series’ untimely demise. Although I am starting to wonder which 30 ROCK staff writer is a real-life werewolf, because they are pushing that union hard.

A FEW FAVORITE THINGS

Me Ow, owner of the largest alternative energy company in Asia, who comes to America in search of a boyfriend with the help of NBC’s green initiative.

Tracy: “What’s wrong, Ken? You got wife eyes.” And then: “Court? At night? I’m already laughing!”

Jack welcoming Claire to New York: “Let’s see, we’re using credit cards in cabs now, all the galleries have moved to Chelsea, and we’re off cupcakes and we’re back to doughnuts.”

Liz: “Hey, did you see our shout-out in Variety? They called us a comedy show!”

Jack’s toast to Me Ow: “May tonight’s fundraiser for your fundraising foundation be as successful as last week’s cocktail reception for your rehab center.”

Claire’s tipoff to being set up is knowing that Liz doesn’t like to have fun.

Tracy: “My boy Kenneth is going through some really tough times. They’re trying to make him wear a coat that’s different than his other coat.”

There was more goodness in Liz’s Chicago shout-out to the Bodeans and her clowning academy boyfriend, Kenneth’s treacly “Night Court” wrap-up speech (another spot-on skewering of the sitcoms of old), and a new reason to hop the F train, but for me this one was on the C level at best. What did you think?

— posted by Kari

Kari is a 30 ROCK fanatic and will be taking it out on you, her new imaginary friends.