Editor's Note

Our reviews of 30 Rock: Season 2 (published October 8th, 2008) and 30 Rock: Season Three (published September 22nd, 2009) are also available.

The Charge

"By the Hammer of Thor!"

Opening Statement

The rumors of the sitcom's death have been greatly exaggerated. If you don't believe it, you haven't been watching NBC. Between The Office, My Name is Earl, and 30 Rock, The Peacock is single-handedly keeping the format alive. All three shows have thrown out the decades-old rulebook, approaching their respective comedies in unique, single camera, feature film style. The funny thing is, these creative showrunners aren't new kids on the block, and two of them come from the writers' room at Saturday Night Live—Greg Daniels has reinvented the uncomfortable inter-office brilliance of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for American audiences, and Tina Fey has spun a sharp observational wit and 15 years of experience in the worlds of Second City and SNL into prime-time gold.

Facts of the Case

NBC has been nursing along Liz Lemon's (Tina Fey) quaint Friday night sketch comedy series, "The Girlie Show," but when a power shift takes place upstairs, life is about to get…interesting…for everyone. Jack Donaghy (Alex Baldwin), has just been promoted to the head of Network and Microwave Programming for parent company General Electric, which makes him Liz's new boss…and the bane of her existence. The show, now dubbed "TGS," gets a makeover courtesy of new featured player Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan), the mentally ill, multi-million dollar movie star. Jack is looking for ratings from the most valuable demographics; Tracy is looking to get his career back on track after a nervous breakdown; and Liz is looking to maintain her sanity. It's a threesome made in comedy hell. As Jack says, "This television stuff is just one unpredictable ass ache." Blurg!

Disc 1:

• "The Pilot"
Liz Lemon's life gets complicated when a new network executive takes on "The Girlie Show" as a personal improvement project. Pete becomes a victim of budget cuts. Liz tries to convince Tracy Jordan this would be a bad career move.

• "The Aftermath"
Tracy joins the cast and Jack retools the show to leverage his demographics. Liz makes everything worse by trying to make everyone happy.

• "Blind Date"
Liz fears dying alone in her own apartment, so Jack sets her up with a former GE co-worker. Kenneth becomes a poker master and it becomes Jack's mission to unravel the mystery.

• "Jack the Writer"
Jack joins the writer's room to implement his new Six Sigma program. Liz counsels Cerie on appropriate office attire. Kenneth adjusts to his new role as Tracy's personal assistant.

• "Jack-tor"
Pete and Liz begin to think Tracy is illiterate. Jack struggles with a guest appearance on this week's show. The writers have a new mission—GE product integration.

• "Jack Meets Dennis"
Liz's ex comes back into the picture. Tracy gets a face tattoo to show the tabloids he's not normal. Jenna goes to extremes to stop the aging process. Josh is being stalked by Liz Taylor.

• "Tracy Does Conan"
Liz donates blood. Pete gets new hair. And the entire staff has to save Tracy from a bad medication reaction before a guest spot on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

• "The Break-Up"
Liz dumps Dennis and goes trolling for men with Jenna. Toofer convinces Tracy he's undermining African-American progress. Jack tries to please his new lady love.

Disc 2:

• "The Baby Show"
Cerie gets engaged to a guy she's only known for six months. Liz feels the baby clock ticking and accidentally kidnaps the makeup girl's infant daughter.

• "The Rural Juror"
Jenna goes on The View to promote her feature film debut. Josh's impersonations of Jack and Tracy get him into trouble. And Jack battles his mom (by phone) who wants to move in with him.

• "The Head and The Hair"
Liz starts dating a guy from MSNBC and it goes far too well. Jack works side-by-side with Kenneth as part of the GE Bottoms Up program. Tracy enlists the help of Frank and Toofer to write his autobiography.

• "Black Tie"
Liz escorts Jack to the grand birthday party of an Austrian prince, where Jack comes face-to-face with his not so ex-wife. Tracy teaches Pete how to become a Sampson, while Kenneth works to keep him on the straight and narrow.

• "Up All Night"
It's Valentine's Day and the staff has to pull an all-nighter. Jack and Bianca finalize their divorce, driving him deep into a food and alcohol binge. Pete forgets his wife's birthday. Tracy plans a romantic escape with his wife. And Liz tries to track down who sent her roses, only to begin a flirtation with an NBC lawyer.

• "The C Word"
Jack takes Tracy to Connecticut for the GE Charity Golf Tournament. Liz goes ballistic when she overhears Lutz using the "C" word. Kenneth and Grace try to fight their feelings for each other.

• "Hard Ball"
Jenna's Maxim photo shoot goes horribly wrong when she mistakenly tells the reporter she "hates the Troops." Jack and Liz enter a spirited contract negotiation with the not-so-intelligent Josh. Tracy fires Griz and DotCom leaving Kenneth as the only remaining member of his entourage.

• "The Source Awards"
Jack's failed family Champagne label becomes the new drink of choice for the hip hop community. Liz tries to break off her relationship with Tracy's new business manager. Tracy is on the run from gangsta producer Ridikulos.

Disc 3:

• "The Fighting Irish"
Jack forces Liz to layoff 10 percent of her staff, inspiring her to use these new powers for evil instead of good. Pete moves in with Liz when his non-Vasectomy creates tension at home. Tracy goes in search of a new religion. And Jack's con-artist brother returns to make amends…or not.

• "Fireworks"
Jack goes toe-to-toe with a young, gay network exec who wants his job, and the affections of Kenneth. Tracy discovers he's a descendant of Thomas Jefferson and wants to make a movie to celebrate his heritage. Liz follows Flower Guy and discovers his secret.

• "Corporate Crush"
Liz is in love…and everyone is scared. Jack loses the Microwave division and finds a woman to fill the void. Tracy pitches his $35 Million Thomas Jefferson movie to GE Chairman Don Geiss.

• "Cleveland"
Liz and Floyd contemplate running away together. Tracy goes into hiding from The Black Crusaders. Jack gets engaged.

• "Hiatus"
Phoebe meets Jack's mother. Liz tries to locate Tracy before the season finale. Jack goes into cardiac arrest. And it's Kenneth to the rescue!

The Evidence

You know how we all have people in our lives who continue to tell us that the payoff for all our hard work is just around the corner? Well, Tina Fey and her team just rounded that turn. 30 Rock is the next big thing you aren't watching. It's honest, sharp, irreverently funny, and everything SNL hoped it could be rolled into one cohesive universe. These folks are having a blast and it shows in every single frame.

30 Rock is one of those rare shows that is layered with so much detail you will continue to discover new things to laugh at even after the second or third viewing. Mixing quick sight gags and verbal exchanges with multiple storylines that often intersect, Fey and fellow writers Robert Carlock and Jack Burditt are masterful at planting seeds of comedy that payoff well down the road. If a sitcom can be serialized without alienating viewers who don't tune in each week, this is it.

The series has not been without its controversy though. The original pilot had to be retooled, when the network wanted Jane Krakowski as the female star of "The Girlie Show" instead of Fey's close friend and collaborator Rachel Dratch. Bad feelings aside, the move paid off in a big way. Jane is the perfect blonde foil to Fey's too smart for her own good Brunette. And Rachel still gets to do what she does best, creating memorable off-the-wall characters—Cat wrangler, Sensitivity trainer, Eastern European prostitute, Political protestor, Barbara Walters with speech impediment, a rage-induced Elizabeth Taylor.

The other dark note came late into the season, when in the midst of much personal turmoil, Alec Baldwin fired his management team and announced he would retire from acting. Thankfully, cooler heads have prevailed and Alec has returned for Season Two. The show wouldn't be the same without him. Alec is the heir to the throne of William Shatner's on-screen charisma, with ten times the acting chops.

The rest of the cast are no slouches either.

Scott Adsit, a fellow Second City alum, is rock solid as Pete, Liz's right hand. His dead pan delivery and reaction shots are priceless. With any luck, we'll see much more of Pete and his family in seasons to come.

Jack McBrayer is frighteningly effective as Kenneth, the sweet, dumb, moral compass of the series. His passion for television and belief in the inherent goodness of everyone around him keeps this troupe from straying too far from the straight and narrow.

Judah Friedlander is the personification of Tina's inner nerd, as one of the show's main writers. We can only hope we'll get to explore more of Frank's unusual world in Season Two. And if Judah is the nerd, Keith Powell as Toofer is Tina's anal retentive, overly evolved intelligence. His need to constantly remind people he graduated from Harvard while commenting on the juvenile nature of his peers make him 30 Rock's Sam Eagle.

Rounding out the cast…Katrina Bowden (Cerie) is the show's adorable eye candy and a constant reminder of just how old the rest of the staff really is. Grizz Chapman (Grizz) and Kevin Brown (DotCom) balance out Tracy's mania as his bodyguards and rented conscience. The only person that hasn't really gelled with the team is Lonny Ross as Josh Girard, the only other TGS featured ensemble member. His impersonations are weak and value to the storylines may be best served by a stronger actor. Either that or the writers just haven't figure out how best to use his skills.

When not loading their scripts with a metric ton of political and pop culture references, the 30 Rock team is out pounding on doors and calling in favors for inspired casting choices.

Exceptional recurring characters…Isabella Rosellini as Jack's Arbys loving, not-quite ex-wife Bianca. Chris Parnell (SNL) as Dr. Leo Spaceman (Spa-Che-Men), the live action equivalent of The Simpsons Dr. Nick. Maulik Pancholy (Weeds) as Jack's face-saving, personal assistant, Jonathan. Jason Sudeikis (SNL) as Liz's boyfriend Floyd. Emily Mortimer (Match Point) as Jack's gold-digging, hollow bone syndrome suffering fiancée Phoebe. Rip Torn (Men in Black) as GE Chairman Don Geiss.

Exquisite guest star casting…Paul Reubens (Big Top Pee-Wee) as the malformed Austrian prince Gerhard Hapsburg. Will Arnett (Arrested Development) as conniving NBC executive Devon Banks. The legendary Elaine Stritch (Monster-In-Law) as Jack's mom Colleen. Nathan Lane (The Producers), and SNL alums Molly Shannon and Siobhan Fallon as Jack's feuding alcoholic, Irish Catholic siblings. Wayne Brady (Whose Line is it Anyway?) as Tracy's business manager. LL Cool J as rap gangsta Ridikulos. Sean Hayes (Will and Grace) as Kenneth's inbred, mouth-breathing Appalachian cousin. And Anna Chlumsky (My Girl) as "the other Liz."

Presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, the image quality is top notch. The colors pop, especially during TGS show nights when the costuming team gets to strut their stuff, and to the casual observer there's no hint of digital distortion. However, in Tina's commentary track, she mentions that the image looks stretched, making them look taller and skinnier than they do in real life. This could indicate a problem with the anamorphic transfer.

Speaking of problems, the audio surprisingly lacks consistency. The first few episodes are fine, but the deeper you go into the series, the more the volume levels change. Not so much within the episodes themselves, but from episode to episode you will find yourself having to adjust your TV or stereo receiver. And the bonus materials are all over the place with volume levels, so keep those remotes handy. Two English language tracks are provided—5.1 Surround and a 2.0 Stereo mix, but you won't find a whole lot to differentiate them. There are very few instances where directional effects can be heard, although Jeff Richardson highly effective underscore (this guy could be the next Alf Clausen) sounds more robust on the 5.1 mix. I know he shares a bed with the series creator, but the boy has talent. The music on the show is a character unto itself.

Now, for a highly anticipated first season release, there appears to be a fair amount of bonus material. Ah, but looks can be deceiving.

Five audio commentaries lay the foundation, but weirdness does ensue. Instead of layering the commentaries on top of the episodes themselves, all five audio extras are housed within replicated episodes on Disc Three. Don't use the "Play All" option, as the commentary track does not always kick in. For me, it worked fine for the first three episodes, but not the final two. I had to go back to the Bonus Menu and select them individually for the audio to work properly.

In terms of content, Tina's commentary on "Black Tie" is the most engaging and informative of the bunch. I only wish she did them all. Why? Well, Jack McBrayer's commentary for "Fireworks" gets off on the wrong foot, when he refers to Alec Baldwin as "Billy Baldwin" (later he calls me Daniel, Tom, and Elizabeth) and it's all downhill from there. Ever see a standup comedian bomb in the most embarrassing way? This will top the worst you've endured. It's not even funny—it's just plain weird. For as effective as he is on the show, Jack's tongue-in-cheek insights are not worth wasting 26 min of your life on. Speaking of a waste of time, Tracy's commentary ("Tracy Does Conan") is little more than remedial television criticism. You won't get much out of it. The same holds for Lorne and Henry Michaels turn on "Hard Ball." Someone needs to tell Loren that you have to actually comment on something for it to work. Alec tries his best, explaining how difficult it is to do commentary for a fast-paced comedy and deciding to just talk over the episode ("Hiatus")…unfortunately, he forgets to do that and we wind up watching the episode with him. When he does remember to share something, other than laughing, it's worth hearing.

Next up are 11 minutes worth of deleted scenes from nine of the season's 21 episodes. It's Tracy being odd, Liz and Gretchen's time together, Pete prepping Tracy for Conan, more "Designing Women" references, Kenneth sharing his feelings for Grace, Tracy's morning-after in Connecticut, staff excuses for leaving work early, Dennis moving out, garbage vs. recycling, Liz on the phone with her parents, Frank's encounter with Jenna's cleavage, Jack's advice to the youth of America, and Frank's pre-show warm-up. Some of it is interesting, but nothing here would've enhanced these episodes in any way.

An Evening with Kenneth is 10 minutes of Jack McBrayer's character hosting his own backstage talk show, interviewing various TGS cast members—Jenna displaying her sexy vocal skills, Frank describing a day in the life of a TV writer and initiating a hand fart concert, and Tracy gets bumped.

Behind the Scenes is Judah Friedlander's 5-minute kamikaze backstage tour, and Jack McBrayer and Lonny Ross' 11-minute guided tour of Silvercup Studios which houses the sets for the show. The practicals are shot at 30 Rockerfeller Plaza and throughout the greater New York area.

Makin' It Happen is Devon Bank's (Will Arnett's character) complete interweb series—all three 10-second episodes in their entirety.

Finally, the most valuable piece of bonus material is a 13-min blooper-laden mockumentary called The Wrap Party from FHS (Fake Hollywood Story) that showcases some exceptionally funny outtakes.

All in all, not a stellar outing for the DVD production team. You can often find more entertaining bonus material on the 30 Rock official site. Head over and watch "Ask Tina" or play "Marry, Boff, Kill" for a while and you'll see what I mean.

Closing Statement

When you have the right mix of inventive and passionate people involved in a project, the end result appears effortless. It opens an audience's mind to new experiences and, on rare occasions, may define the new standard for the next wave of creative idea swiping. 30 Rock benefits from that rare collective of talent and execution. If the sitcom is to survive, producers best look to this team for inspiration. And for those of you who have not followed the series, buy 30 Rock: Season 1 and get caught up before the series becomes the "It" show everyone's talking about.

The Verdict

Snag those Emmys! You've earned them.

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