Photos
Video
It's sandwich day on '30 Rock'
Tonight's 30 Rock asked the question: Can you really have it all? Can you reel in the one who got away and enjoy a delicious, delicious sandwich?
If you're Liz Lemon, it's worth risking some really serious indigestion to try.
(These spoilers have never spent any time on the 12th floor.)
The question doesn't really get answered on tonight's show, but that's better than a flat-out "no," right? Even if, in her very Liz-like way, she darn near sends Floyd (the returning Jason Sudeikis, of SNL) -- who's in New York for one night -- all but fleeing right back to Cleveland.
Our girl, though, deserves a happy ending now and then -- like Marcia Brady, whom she vows to be more like (instead of Jan) at the top of the show (the throwaway football-to-the-nose gag? Fantastic). And maybe, just maybe, she'll get one, as she and Floyd finally get past all their lies (My favorite accusation: "You used Ghostbusters for evil!") and petty differences as he's about to board his flight back to Cleveland, and he non-committally accepts her non-committal offer to keep her apartment key, just in case.
All that, and she still gets her sandwich. Sandwich Day -- which, we gather, is sort of like Pretzel Day -- is the one day a year that the Teamsters bring yummy, yummy subs from an unknown deli in Brooklyn. Naturally, Tracy and Co. steal Liz's sandwich, which is not the right thing to do. "You're gonna get me another sandwich," an apoplectic Liz tells Kenneth, who's owned up to the sub-napping, "or I'll cut your face up so bad you'll have a chin. You'll all have chins!"
And so it's on to a drinking contest with the Teamsters to get them to give up the name of the sandwich shop ("It's in their contract," Jack notes). Things are looking bad for the TGS team -- Jenna's the only one who can drink at first, and she already downed five shots before the contest started. And I don't think I'd like my odds drinking against Brian Dennehy, at any rate.
But lo and behold, everyone's drinking restrictions suddenly fall away. Frank finds his lucky penny (it's not in his ear), so he can stop his antibiotics. The battery in Tracy's "Hollywood sock" goes dead, meaning he's got a half-hour to get sozzled. And best of all, Kenneth discovers that the alcohol he abhors is actually the "hill people milk" he's been drinking since childhood.
And that's pretty much your episode. Jack was really pushed to the background, left to rail at a comatose Don Geiss and wonder just what hell he's been banished to on seeing his new digs on the 12th floor. And the rest of it, like The Office before it tonight, felt a little undercooked. At least, though, we got a good amount of funny in the interim:
- Jane Krakowski's Jenna has been underused in the post-strike episodes, but she got a pretty good little showcase tonight, giving Liz romantic advice ("No, I didn't come back from the bathroom and hand him my underwear," Liz replies) and agreeing to the drinking contest ("I'll do it. But just for the attention"). Her best line of the night, though, was this: "A drinking contest? What am I, 12 and at my boyfriend's frat party?"
- Kenneth: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Tracy: "Please ask my permission before you quote me, Kenneth."
- Jonathan singing "I Will Remember You" as Jack walks out of his 52nd-floor office. And: "I made you this ['Friends 4 Eva' collage]." Jack: "Uh, no. You didn't."
- Cats wearing bowties.
What did you think of 30 Rock this week? Like Sandwich Day, did it end too soon for you, or was it missing an ingredient or two?
I thought your recap hit the highs and the lows. Lot's of meanness on tonights NBC comedy line-up, methinks.
However, for me, the best moment of the night was when Liz came out of here office looking for her sandwich and she was brandishing a trophy that seemed to have a whales tail (I'm pretty sure they refered to that trophy before but I can't remember when and in what context) and the big fork that, along with big spoon, hangs on her wall. Earlier this year I had commented here about seeing those items and wonderring abuot their significance. Now I know what the big fork is for. Sweet.
sac | May 2, 2008 5:12:13 AM | #I was laughing throughout the entire thing. Best was the quick cutaway to the guys without prominent chins after Liz's threat, like Kenneth, Lutz and Frank. Hilarious. And Floyd's partner having a meeting with Peter Venkman? Even better.
Girley | May 2, 2008 6:37:52 AM | #i liekd it better than the previous epsiode - i love enraged liz when anyone ever steals her food, and her singin "bith" as she jogged - ddi you notice the sign on the 12th floor "No Nut Food" hahaha
Simon | May 2, 2008 9:15:39 AM | #i liked it better than the previous epsiode - i love enraged liz when anyone ever steals her food, and her singin "bith" as she jogged - ddi you notice the sign on the 12th floor "No Nut Food" hahaha
Simon | May 2, 2008 9:15:47 AM | #Wish I had seen the episode
sexy man lips | May 2, 2008 1:32:41 PM | #30 Rock sucks !!!!!!!!
Viking | May 2, 2008 2:23:15 PM | #viking... ur mom sucks!!!!!!
god | May 2, 2008 2:42:18 PM | #This episode was definitely more ‘laugh out loud funny’ than last week.
There were moments that were just hilarious!
I had to rewind and watch the 12th floor scene twice to catch all the subtle weirdness going on.
I prefer this sort of storyline, with Jenna, Kenneth and Tracy (et all) offering up good (and smaller) supporting parts. IMHO, giving any of those characters too much screen time really seems to slow down the comedy of 30 Rock. This show really clicks when Liz and Jack are the main focus.
The scene I haven't noticed being mentioned was the one where they got Liz ready for Floyd to come get the keys from her. They had the lights and the fan ready to go at the appropriate moments (complete with cues). Plus she looked fantastic. Her first comment after Floyd left was to get her out of that dress. I loved it.
Melody | May 2, 2008 2:57:49 PM | #Didn't like this episode. Too little Jack, and I didn't want Jane Krakowski to come back. Maybe I'd change my mind if they revealed where the sub was from...
AC | May 2, 2008 3:42:59 PM | #The whole Airline scene was so funny, I appreciate gags dealing with current events.
"no no no, the airline is canceled, where not an airline anymore."
"hey Karen, I hate your guts"
I love the part with the flash back of Liz tipping the table and screaming "where is my mac and cheese!"
I love the quick snippet where she comes back to her place from her night out with Floyd and Liz remarks that it's been a long time since she was up that late...cue flashback of her with braces and big frizzy hair contemplating her next Dungeon and Dragons move.
Renee | May 4, 2008 2:09:33 PM | #
Zap2it Twitter Talk
