30 ROCK: The Ones
April 24, 2009 by Kari
Oh dears! I’m not sure what to say about an episode that seemed devoted mostly to showing us how flamboyantly Salma Hayek could remove a trench coat, even if one of those removals revealed a pointless yet fabulous BSG t-shirt.
This one lost me almost entirely, with Elisa’s Black Widow secret bringing out the boring in everybody and leaving Liz with little to do other than react while snuggling up with her Slanket and Night Cheese. I was equally baffled by the weirdness of Jenna approaching Pete with her problem, although I enjoyed her heartfelt serenade of “Don’t Cry Out Loud” before self-identifying as a sociopath and then proving it by trying to kill Kenneth. I also liked Tracy helping Jack the only way he knows how: first through a test of erotic temptation in a flashy nightclub and finally by admitting his own terrible secret (that he’s never been unfaithful to his wife). And let’s give special props for the shirtless montage, where they slipped in a bizarre real-life Tracy Morgan appearance on Chicago’s WGN in which he improv-ed a pregnant woman giving birth on the news desk.
Overall the small touches saved it for me: the Pranksmen’s feathered caps; Liz searching for online stories on Elisa (“Ew, writing on green. Why?”); Brian Williams taking a misdirected call for Tracy, then inviting the caller up to Connecticut; Tracy’s Angie tattoo morphing quite naturally into Tangiers the gay lion.
Anyway, this is two negatives in a row for me in a disappointing season, but I’m still hoping we can ride it out in style over the next couple of weeks. What did you think?
A FEW FAVORITE THINGS
- Jewelry salesman on Liz: “She’s very spirited. Like a show horse.”
- Lutz running into that wall with his face. (Lutz seems to be this year’s Josh in the humiliation and pain department.)
- Tracy to Liz: “You are wise, Liz Lemon. Like a genetically manipulated shark.”
- Liz to Elisa: “How are you so quiet when your parades are so loud?”
Kari is a 30 ROCK fanatic and will be taking it out on you, her new imaginary friends.
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While I admit last week’s show wasn’t a classic, I really liked this week’s episode. It made me consistently laugh out loud, and that’s why I tune in to 30 Rock each week.
I really enjoyed this week! I thought it was hilarious. Jenna’s story especially amused me. And I have to admit I was actually sorry to see Salma Hayek go. Although her constant presence was a bit exhausting, I enjoyed seeing her from time to time.
The only part that I really had to stop the DVR so I could laugh at was Night Cheese, because putting words in songs like that, strictly for my own amusement, is something I do all the time. Otherwise, it was funny but not pee-the-pants funny.
Why are you reviewing if you don’t like the show *end snark* sorry but your review was a real downer. I thought it was hillarious.
You know I love you Lisa, but in Kari’s defense, it’s totally possible to love a show and not be crazy about an episode. For example, I looooooove Chuck but wasn’t crazy about the John Laroquette episode, which everyone else seemed smitten with. So I would say that everyone is entitled to their opinion and the comments are a good place to agree or disagree and say why. 🙂
I agree. Not everyone is going to share the same opinion about an episode. Especially in a comedy. It’s all subjective. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I wasn’t a fan of the Selma Hayak storyline – but I never have been outside of her first two appearances. I did like the Jenna storyline (which i never do because she irks me). And I laughed out loud about the joke about the product placement…ha ha.
I don’t have the relationship with 30 ROCK like I do with other shows, but some parts of last night’s episode really had me laughing.
Did anyone else catch the “Mad Men” reference? When Kenneth is choking, he says “My real name is Dick Whitman.”
I found myself LOLing a lot in this episode … mostly at the Night Cheese song, though. And Liz’s “you woke me up” (or “I was sleeping”, when Jack entered, can’t recall her exact words) … and him replying that he had heard her Night Cheese song. Too funny. The Slanket was hilarious too, and every time Liz had it on I LOL’d.
I had to look about a dozen times at my TV guide, though, because I seriously thought we had ended the Elisa storyline, so I was convinced this was a rerun. It wasn’t, but it seems that we will now be rid of Elisa. Overall … meh … can’t say I enjoyed her stint, but I also didn’t hate it a whole bunch. Guess I’m undecided on that part.
Tracy and the gay lion/Angie tattoo, and the “killing Kenneth” storyline were pretty funny, too.
Yeah, everybody seems to have found this one better than I did. Might have had something to do with spending Wed & Thurs on jury duty, but I thought the storylines and execution were all weak, and even the Slanket joke felt a couple months too late. Funny gags can string me along for a while, but I need the stories to stand up on their own; this one missed the mark for me personally. If it made you guys happy, I’m glad.
And Lisa, I LOVE the show, I just didn’t love the episode — and I certainly respect it (and you) enough to not lie about it.
Am I the only horrible person who laughed at the Kent State joke?
Nope, I laughed at that one, too. So totally out of left field.
I thought this episode was strangely hilarious. One of my favorite lines of the whole season was at the end of the episode. Something to the effect of “don’t you have a slanket to go put your farts in?!?” Does anyone remember the exact quote?
I think it was, “Isn’t there a slanket somewhere that you should be filling with your farts?”
I think I was having a beotch moment, Kari, sorry for being snarky I love your reviews.
I am a Kent State student and I love Kent State jokes.