# 30 Rock - Best sitcom of the decade **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263 "2009-02-10T19:35:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/1 "2009-02-10T19:35:07Z")
Not a question, just a statement! I just finished watching the first two seasons on Netflix (which has it for instant watch via your PC or Xbox) and this show is just amazingly funny, well written, and Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin are unbeliveably perfect for their roles. The supporting roles fit perfectly, and even Tracy Morgan who I have never liked, is really, really funny. “mind grapes” “the cleve” If your not watching it, get to it! ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/2 "2009-02-10T19:39:50Z")
I prefer _How I Met Your Mother_ for general consistency of writing and characterization, but when _30 Rock_ is on its game (Greenzo, Cougars), it’s really, really on. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/3 "2009-02-10T19:53:21Z")
I far prefer **My Name is Earl** or **The Office**. **30 Rock** wheezes and tries waaay hard to be “wacky.” It’s like a person wearing a lampshade over his head while tap dancing over crocodiles in clown suits while shouting “Look at Me, I’m funn-eeeeeee.” ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/4 "2009-02-10T19:53:46Z")
I am with the OP. \*30 Rock \*is bang-on. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/5 "2009-02-10T19:58:28Z")
It’s ok. I catch an episode, once in a while. I gotta admit when I do watch it’s because of stunt-casting. Sorry, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/6 "2009-02-10T20:23:34Z")
I’ve seen it a few times only because it comes on after The Office, which I love. I usually watch The Office on DVR but the few times that I’ve seen it live I’ll leave the TV on and try 30 Rock. I’ve never been able to get through about half of it before I turn it off. It just doesn’t work for me. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/7 "2009-02-10T20:31:18Z")
Best of the decade? Lucky the bar is set so low. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/8 "2009-02-10T20:31:44Z")
It’s a very good series. I have watched the first two seasons twice. But it’s only #6 so far. 1. How I Met Your Mother 2. Coupling (UK) 3. Flight of the Conchords 4. Lucky Louie (Can’t believe this series wasn’t continued. It’s about a lower class married couple, so I don’t relate to it at all, but I still think it’s great.) 5. The Office (UK) 6. 30 Rock ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/9 "2009-02-10T20:32:18Z")
_30 Rock_’s the best sitcom currently on the air. But I’d still call _Arrested Development_ the best of this decade. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/10 "2009-02-10T20:37:10Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > It’s ok. I catch an episode, once in a while. I gotta admit when I do watch it’s because of stunt-casting. Sorry, sorry. Y’know, I’m not usually a fan of stunt casting, but the episode with Oprah earlier this season was absolutely hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/11 "2009-02-10T20:38:43Z")
It’s mostly hit and miss for me, but I admit to laughing out loud several times while watching it, which I only currently do during one other show ( **The Office** ). I thought last week’s episode with “The Generalissimo” was hilarious. I’d have to say that for me **Extras** was the decade’s gold standard, with **Arrested Development** close behind. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/12 "2009-02-10T20:42:42Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > _30 Rock_’s the best sitcom currently on the air. But I’d still call _Arrested Development_ the best of this decade. This. I might have said The Office for #2 if it had ended after its third season. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/13 "2009-02-10T20:55:10Z")
Yeah, I’d have to go with **Arrested Development** , too, though I like **30 Rock**. Actually, at this point, I might even have to insert **It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia** in there. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/14 "2009-02-10T20:59:37Z")
Best sitcom of this decade is kind of like classiest airbrushed license plate, but FWIW . . . I think 30Rock is probably the worst television show I’ve ever had the misfortune of seeing in my entire life. That’s no exaggeration. Tina Fey is a plague on comedy. She’s the least funny person who gets paid to be funny except _maybe_ Tracy Morgan. Put them together and I want to punch the tv within seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/15 "2009-02-10T21:05:30Z")
The honkies! They got me! It started a little slow, but since about halfway through the first season it’s been consistently great. Also, I never really thought Salma Hayek was all that until her run as Elisa. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/16 "2009-02-10T21:08:02Z")
For me it’s _The Office_, then _Arrested Development_, and then _30 Rock_. I choose the other two over _30 Rock_ because as imaginative and funny as it is – and it is often very, very funny – I just don’t care about the characters very much. I find that _The Office_ goes deeper with its humor, and tends to be more observational and emotion-based (even when it does ‘wacky’ the characters’ emotions are rarely ignored completely). _Arrested Development_ was definitely more wacky/outrageous and edgy than TO, and most of its gentler moments were played as satires of sitcom conventions, but even so, there was some genuine heart in the relationships – certainly between Michael and George Michael, but also between the siblings and occasionally even with their parents. _30 Rock_ is almost all edge/wacky and little warmth. Which I can appreciate and definitely enjoy on its own merits (after all, it’s a bland diet when all meals have the same ingredients). But in the end it leaves me feeling less involved than I am/was with TO and AD. Sorta like the difference between _The Simpsons_ and _Family Guy_ or _South Park_, or (going earlier) between _Newsradio_ and _Seinfeld_. There may be more laughs per minute in the latter, but I care about the people in the former. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/17 "2009-02-10T21:10:07Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Best sitcom of this decade is kind of like classiest airbrushed license plate, but FWIW . . . I think 30Rock is probably the worst television show I’ve ever had the misfortune of seeing in my entire life. That’s no exaggeration. Tina Fey is a plague on comedy. She’s the least funny person who gets paid to be funny except _maybe_ Tracy Morgan. Put them together and I want to punch the tv within seconds. Thanks for joining the discussion! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/18 "2009-02-10T21:10:12Z")
It’s a close one between: Pulling (UK) and Summer Heights High (Australia) They’re both fuckin hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/19 "2009-02-10T21:13:58Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Summer Heights High (Australia) They showed that here on HBO in December and it didn’t get a lot of notice. I thought that it was totally brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263/20 "2009-02-10T21:14:07Z")
30 ROCK? Meh. I watched 3-4 episodes and quit. Contrived and not funny. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-best-sitcom-of-the-decade/485263.md?page=2)