# 30 Rock - Is it as horrible as I think it is? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2006, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026 "2006-10-19T00:32:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/1 "2006-10-19T00:32:32Z")
As I sit here in bed “enjoying” the last of my food-poisoning-induced stomach cramps I decide to watch **30 Rock** and **20 Good Years** to kill time until **Lost**. Is **30 Rock** really as bad as it seems? Sure, Alec Baldwin is pretty entertaining, and Jane Krakowski is extremely cute… But the rest of the show seemed to be less than pure crap. Am I missing some hidden charm? Is this just a particularly weak episode? Or is the show just garbage? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/2 "2006-10-19T00:54:32Z")
I didn’t see this week’s, electing instead to sit in the hot tub and watch the stars. Last week’s was OK, but I just can’t stand Tracy Morgan. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/3 "2006-10-19T01:04:40Z")
No, your judgement is not impaired. It’s crap, and can’t be cancelled soon enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/4 "2006-10-19T01:47:11Z")
I share **silenus’** opinion. Absolute garbage. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/5 "2006-10-19T02:20:57Z")
I ground my teeth through the pilot and then removed all traces of the show from the TiVo. Your negative opinion is not unfounded. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/6 "2006-10-19T02:25:35Z")
The idea sounds intriguing … WHY did they have to fuck up and bring in Tracy Morgan? ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/7 "2006-10-19T02:31:23Z")
I stared dumbfounded at my TV while John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor literally shouted their lines at each other during tonight’s episode of **Twenty Good Years**. I think this show needs to be renamed **Twenty Excruciating Minutes**. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/8 "2006-10-19T03:42:44Z")
It’s better than Jericho. Which is all it needed to be to win the coveted “killing time before Lost” slot. ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/9 "2006-10-19T04:00:28Z")
I think I’m enjoying **30 Rock** more than **Studio 60**. And Tracy Morgan makes me laugh. I’m still giving them some time. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/10 "2006-10-19T04:02:15Z")
[QUOTE=DaddyTimesTwo] I think I’m enjoying **30 Rock** more than **Studio 60**. And Tracy Morgan makes me laugh. I’m still giving them some time. [/QUOTE] Seconded. I definitely think it’ll get better with age. Tina Fey is too good for it not to. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/11 "2006-10-19T05:03:35Z")
I watched 30 Rock again this week because I wanted to give it a couple episodes… and I can happily say that I will never post in a 30 Rock thread again. After last week I was willing to say that it had some hope, but now I actually think it’s WORSE than Twenty Good Years, because at least in watching that show I smiled once or twice. I didn’t even crack a grin watching 30 Rock (the only two or three moments even remotely decent had already been spoiled all week in the promos). Absolutely terrible, bottom of the barrel. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/12 "2006-10-19T05:26:44Z")
It’s just not funny. I mean, even for TV standards, where very little is actually funny. This is just not funny. Or else, as some critics seem to be saying, it’s _so funny_ that I just don’t get it. But since I’d listen to Alec Baldwin read the phone book, they’ll get a couple more weeks out of me before I give up. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/13 "2006-10-19T05:51:40Z")
I just watched the premiere and I liked it. Not _loved_, but liked. I’ll give it some time to grow. Personally I think the casting is excellent and Tracey Morgan was hilarious. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/14 "2006-10-19T06:28:41Z")
I absolutely love, love, love this show. It has me roaring with laughter from the start. Great casting and Tina Fey is an amazing writer (and pretty hot, too). I think it’s on the extreme end of the continuum, so it’s going to be hit or miss with people. If something is beyond wonderful for some folks, it wraps around for other folks into being extremely disliked. It’s like when Family Guy pulls a gag that goes on too long – people either love that or hate that. Loved the scene with the writers throwing stuff. Starting the gag with the pizza crust bouncing off her head was funny. Then a shoe comes from nowhere. But the true brilliance was to follow up Fey’s comment about throwing things that plug in with the milk and cereal. And the following scene with Alec in the hallway is hilarious. I also liked the riff on this week’s Studio 60 mic goofup scene… they not only parodied it, but added a second camera goofup. You just don’t see that kind of meta-joking in most TV shows… they did it last week with the Trivection oven, too. Tracey Morgan is not that bad. It’s not that easy to pull off a Martin Lawrence / Chris Tucker loon character. In my opinion, the whole cast is pretty good. Krakowski is good. Even Rachel Dratch’s brief appearance was good. ---
**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:** [October 19, 2006, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/15 "2006-10-19T07:13:38Z")
The understated performance of Baldwin reminds me of the tragically departed _Arrested Development_ so I’ll watch it for him. Manufactured wackiness like Morgan’s gets tedious, fast. ---
**Author:** ![bafaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@bafaa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bafaa)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/16 "2006-10-19T13:06:01Z")
I love it. Tracy Morgan is hysterical. In fact, call me crazy, but the more “unfunny” and over the top he is the more I laugh but I also like Colin Quinn so what do I know? And yeah, Alec Baldwin is great. I just love his deadpan look and delivery. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/17 "2006-10-19T13:18:18Z")
Compared to _20 Good Years_, _30 Rock_ is comedy gold. Of course, compared to _20 Good Years_, a test pattern is comedy gold. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/18 "2006-10-19T13:36:17Z")
I rather like it. I don’t think it’s Morgan’s wacked out behaviour that is funny to me. It is the other’s reaction to it. I also believe that is what the show’s comedy is supposed to be about. I like the idea that everyone knows he is a no talent nut job but due to audience reaction are forced to work with him. Ok I also liked him refering to Jenna “My Baloney” every so often… I know silly. Also the “It’s not fair What a waste” line gave me a chuckle too. Hmmm I wonder what the disconnect is? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/19 "2006-10-19T13:59:02Z")
I watched last night, and it was okay. A lot of jokes fell flat, but a few were funny. The characters are generally likeable. So far, I’d give it a passing grade, but it’s not special. I’ll probably keep watching, especially since it’s only half an hour. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026/20 "2006-10-19T14:09:13Z")
[QUOTE=bafaa] I also like Colin Quinn [/QUOTE] So it’s _ **you!** _ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-rock-is-it-as-horrible-as-i-think-it-is/377026.md?page=2)