Tina and Alec, great as usual, but show sucked overall because someone somewhere seems to think that wild crazy jive talking black guy = automatic laughs. It doesn’t. See also the Coen’s Ladykillers which was almost sunk by the mistaken notion that the movie needed a similar character to call everybody bitch and cracker. Not funny, not sure it ever was.
Keeping it as a 30 minute show is probably the best thing about it. You can’t really stretch out that type of material any longer than that and expect anything good to come of it.
The Tracy Jordan running in the street supposedly mocking the Martin Lawrence breakdown would probably have been funnier if they hadn’t played it to death in the previews.
Like others I seriously thought the GE trivection was a joke. I DVR’d it so I missed the real commercial.
After ten minutes of watching the truly crappy new John Lithgow/Jeffrey Tambor sitcom that followed, I cannot critiize this show.
My only criticism of 30 Rock was that the sequence with Tina Fey going to Harlem was too long. At least this show made me laugh. The sitcom that came after it did not.
I can’t get past my loathing for all things Tracy Morgan to even try watching the show. Doesn’t sound like I’m missing much. Ditto for John Lithgow.
I actually thought Twenty Good Years, the show that came after, was marginally more funny than this - though it’s mostly just Lithgow and Tambor playing around and probably has a limited ceiling in terms of how good they can get. I tend to wonder if they’ll do one thing every episode in a kind of Earl-ripoff. The real problem with that show, though: a laugh track. Who still uses a laugh track in this day and age?! (Twenty Good Years, that’s who).
Since I’m back here anyways, I might as well take a cheap shot to stay nominally on topic: For all that she isn’t perfect in the role, it’s a lot more believable that Sarah Paulson could be a productive, funny member of a sketch comedy show than it is that Tracy Morgan could hold such a job!
Ditto (except it was VCR for me; I’m just old-fashioned I guess.)
I liked it. I laughed out loud at least a time or two (I don’t remember at what) and was grinning at the end of it. Tracy Morgan can play a very funny nutcase (“I’m Brian Fellow!”), and I like him here: I see “Tracy Jordan” as a cross between Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy’s character from Bowfinger, and Morgan’s own persona from SNL.
There are some genuinely funny people involved in this show, and if all goes well, this could be a very good outlet for their talents.
More laughs than a typical episode of SNL these days. Baldwin’s Trivection oven “ad” was brilliant and funnier still for us who remember when shows often had commercials built into them–anybody remember Fred and Barney sneaking Winstons behind the garage? (YouTube link) And I want that oven.
I’m a Tracy Morgan fan. I loved Brian Fellow, and loved Astronaut Jones. What cracked me up in this episode was “did he just say ‘pumpkin’ to me?” and his theory about white dudes injecting AIDS into Chicken McNuggets.
Alec Baldwin is always awesome.
Tina Fey is hot in a “sexy librarian” kind of way.
Wait, that oven is a fucking real product?! Oh, no they di’int.
I will say that this is the funniest Tracy Morgan has ever been.
…
Yeah.
I didn’t see the beginning and I’ll admit I was only interested 'cause of my crush on Tina Fey, but I got a couple of laughs out of it. Like the insecure actress who explained her eye doesn’t open all the way 'cause her sister peed in it.
In re: the product placement - Did anyone notice that the most prominent piece of Tracy Morgan’s characters “bling” was a necklass with a medallion in the shape of the new Budweiser logo?
If Krakowski gets naked every episode, I’ll watch. Otherwise, forget it. Didn’t get so much as a chuckle from us.
Wow. I didn’t think it was possible to get more racist than SNL. I always blamed Lorne Michaels - maybe there’s just something about that show that’s infectious to everyone involved.
I’m with those who think this was possibly one of the worst things that ever made it past the focus group stage and into the actual line-up. Horrid. Not one thing funny about it.
I thought about it and I’ve come to the conclusion that if you’re not one of the 37 people over the age of 16 who are still clinging on to SNL, you’re not going to like this.
They don’t call them the “Not Ready for Prime-Time Players” for nothing.
This show had me roaring with laughter. Loved Fey and Baldwin. The Microwave Programming joke was funny even after seeing their trailers. The look on Fey’s face when Baldwin said “You have the boldness of a much younger woman” was hilarious.
I loved how they packed in a lot of jokes into 30 minutes, like the ceiling falling on Fey’s head (reminiscent of Omarosa). I guess I like seeing them torture Fey’s character.
I think this show has a promising future. According to Scott Adams, If everyone exposed to a product likes it, the product will not succeed. If his maxim applies to 30 Rock, it is a predictor of major success.
p.s. Loved the Trivection oven gag… hope they keep breaking new ground like that.
Could I respectfully ask you two questions?
- How old are you?
- Do you like SNL and if yes, how long have you been watching - if no, why not?
I’m not trying to be a fly in the oinment, I’m genuinely curious.
I really dug Alec Baldwin. I actually did not know he was a “brilliant comedic actor”…I just thought he was a stuck up Hollywood so-and-so, so seeing him doing a role with really great comic timing made me appreciate him.
Tina Fey was good. I always like her.
I actually LIKED Tracy Morgan on SNL. Here…not at all. But perhaps it’s because I know nothing of Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence behind the scenes.
Is it me or are the women playing the lead female roles in this show and Studio 60 just way too hot to be believeable as sketch show actors? Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Julia Sweeney, Molly Shannon, Ana Gastyer - all pretty damn funny but I can’t think of any females from SNL who are as traditionally sexy as the women who are cast as the female leads on these 2 shows. Tina Fey is pretty hot but I think most of the guys who lust after her lust after more than just her body.
Watch The Royal Tennenbaums sometime. He delivers a wonderful performance and you never even see his face.
Adult, mid-30’s. Dislike most of SNL lately, although I enjoy Baldwin as host (especially this classic Baldwin skit. I did find SNL’s Deep Thoughts to be hilarious… the bag of blood joke is my favorite. Also liked Tina Fey on SNL and like Tina’s blog.