# 30 Rock 11/19 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 20, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283 "2009-11-20T14:03:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/1 "2009-11-20T14:03:55Z")
Huh. Not their best work, I’d have to say. . . . . . . . . . . . . . First, the Liz/apartment storyline… kind of a mess. We go from (a) the building’s going condo, to (b) Liz moves in with a guy she’s never met before, to © she forces him to move out in order to keep the apartment, in what, about 6 minutes of screen time? The whole thing seemed very rushed and forced. I didn’t quite get how their plan was supposed to work in the first place, and Liz agreed to move in with a stranger way too easily; the neighbor character wasn’t developed enough to have any opinion about what happened to him. Although, I don’t know if this story would have worked even if had become a multi-episode arc. The stakes were low - a fireplace and an extra bedroom is what she got out of this? It’s hard to imagine Liz Lemon doesn’t have plenty of money. Finding a nice place to live should be pretty easily within her means. I just couldn’t buy any of it. Then there’s the Jack/Tracy vasectomy thing. It’s always fun to see Dr. Spaceman, I guess, but this was another dud of a story. Boys acting stupid, ala _Two and a Half Men_ or _According to Jim_, not at all worthy of a show that consistently rises well above the level of most other sitcoms. There were some funny lines – “Remember that horrible roommate you had in Chicago?”… “You mean you?” “_Some_ of them are sun tea.” But I’ve come to expect a higher bar on this show. Hopefully this was a throw-away episode and they get it back on the rails quickly. (And the Al Gore cameo was a waste.) ---
**Author:** ![StoutHearted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@StoutHearted](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StoutHearted)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/2 "2009-11-20T14:35:59Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > “_Some_ of them are sun tea.” Some of them _were_ sun tea. I dug this episode because the oneliners were a big improvement from last episode’s. But I agree, the Al Gore cameo was useless. Man, he’s looking haggard. Didn’t they do the “a whale is in trouble” line before? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/3 "2009-11-20T14:39:27Z")
Gore’s teeth look terrible. And yes, his cameos are no longer a surprise. But I would have done a lot to appropriate that apartment. Working fireplaces? An extra bedroom? A view? Jack is right – get the real estate while you can. Not the best episode, but I did like Liz soliciting a “black ex-boyfriend” to come in and be all angry and whatnot. You know, because he’s black. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/4 "2009-11-20T14:46:00Z")
> [@StoutHearted](#): > > Some of them _were_ sun tea. Ah. Yes, you are correct. > [@StoutHearted](#): > > Didn’t they do the “a whale is in trouble” line before? Yes, and right before it, Gore said, “Recycle _everything_, including jokes!” So it was a little self-referencing wink, but still not that funny. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/5 "2009-11-20T14:48:03Z")
Add: It was great that Kathy Geiss’s lawyer was Teddy Ruxpin. And: “I’ll warn you, general anesthesia can cause powerful hallucinations, so I highly recommend it.” “We all see the little black boy in the corner, right?” ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/6 "2009-11-20T14:51:44Z")
The idea was that Liz would buy not only her own place, but the one upstairs. Then she could turn them into a 2 floor condo. But she had to get the gay hipster cop to move out. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/7 "2009-11-20T15:05:26Z")
> [@USCDiver](#): > > The idea was that Liz would buy not only her own place, but the one upstairs. Then she could turn them into a 2 floor condo. But she had to get the gay hipster cop to move out. I got that part, but: Why did _he_ suggest she move in with him? Why would _he_ move out as opposed to kicking her back downstairs? Or, if she wanted him to _think_ she’d given up her apartment but really didn’t, is that plausible? I mean, how long did all this take anyway, and would her lease have been up that quickly with so little notice? These questions may have easy answers, but it remains a poorly-told story. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/8 "2009-11-20T16:07:56Z")
I was slightly amused that the neighbor was played by Nate Corddry, who was one of the stars of _Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip_. (If you remember, that show premiered in the same month as _30 Rock_, and was also sort of a fictional behind-the-scenes look at an SNL-type show, and was expected to succeed while _30 Rock_ was not.) ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/9 "2009-11-20T16:42:07Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I got that part, but: Why did _he_ suggest she move in with him? Why would _he_ move out as opposed to kicking her back downstairs? The condo group was going to raise the rent to a level that neither of them could afford on their own - thus the “we’ll show them” idea of moving in together. I also noticed the guy from Studio 60 and thought it was interesting. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/10 "2009-11-20T17:41:21Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I was slightly amused that the neighbor was played by Nate Corddry, who was one of the stars of _Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip_. (If you remember, that show premiered in the same month as _30 Rock_, and was also sort of a fictional behind-the-scenes look at an SNL-type show, and was expected to succeed while _30 Rock_ was not.) The memory of that show had so faded in my mind that I could _not_ place where I knew that guy from. It was driving me crazy. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/11 "2009-11-20T17:57:24Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > … But I would have done a lot to appropriate that apartment. Working fireplaces? An extra bedroom? A view? Jack is right – get the real estate while you can… You left out what truly cinched the deal for Liz “…t_he flum doesn’t close to the whole apartment smells like Burger King during the day and Cinnabon at night_.” ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/12 "2009-11-20T18:02:02Z")
Not the best episode, but I did find a few things to amuse me. When Liz mentioned the green peacock at the bottom of the screen, and Kenneth looked right at it. Teddy Ruxpin, Esq. Jack wants to pass his head of hair on the the next generation. “A gay, hipster cop?” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/13 "2009-11-20T18:07:30Z")
I’d forgotten that Corddry was on _Studio 60_ (an eminently forgettable show, in my estimation). I recognized him from _The Daily Show_. Amusing moments, but the overall plotlines were a mess. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/14 "2009-11-20T18:07:51Z")
The stories were so-so, but there were so many great one-liners that it kept me entertained throughout. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/15 "2009-11-20T18:37:35Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > …When Liz mentioned the green peacock at the bottom of the screen, and Kenneth looked right at it… Anybody else ever wonder how totally bizarre stuff like this (or the Leno gags) are going to look in syndication? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/16 "2009-11-20T19:45:57Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I got that part, but: Why did _he_ suggest she move in with him? Why would _he_ move out as opposed to kicking her back downstairs? Or, if she wanted him to _think_ she’d given up her apartment but really didn’t, is that plausible? I mean, how long did all this take anyway, and would her lease have been up that quickly with so little notice? > > These questions may have easy answers, but it remains a poorly-told story. He assumed that she didn’t have a lot of money just like him based on what she was wearing, so that since rents were going up and he thought neither of them would be able to afford it, they both move in together. He suggested she move into his apartment because his apartment was bigger and had two bedrooms. I thought it was a pretty good episode. But I do agree that the Al Gore cameo wasn’t great. I know it was a “green week” episode, but you would think they could get another environmentalist celebrity to appear instead of Gore this time. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/17 "2009-11-20T19:52:10Z")
Gore’s appearances on _Futurama_ have been consistently funnier than anything live-action he’s done, with the possible exception of his “Visit to the set of _West Wing_” bit on _SNL_. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/18 "2009-11-20T19:59:50Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > The stories were so-so, but there were so many great one-liners that it kept me entertained throughout. Kenneth came in to talk to Jenna and she told him to hold off because she was doing her Kegels. > [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > I thought it was a pretty good episode. But I do agree that the Al Gore cameo wasn’t great. I know it was a “green week” episode, but you would think they could get another environmentalist celebrity to appear instead of Gore this time. Didn’t Jenna mention having taken a shower with Ed Begley Jr.? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/19 "2009-11-20T20:01:15Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > Didn’t Jenna mention having taken a shower with Ed Begley Jr.? A low-flow shower, at that, which to her was as much a commitment to environmentalism as she could make. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283/20 "2009-11-20T21:15:04Z")
“Now this is surgery, so don’t eat anything before you come in. I’ll have a big breakfast waiting for you!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-11-19/518283.md?page=2)