Have watched the first two episodes of 30 Rock. Not impressed so far, struggling to understand why it’s held in such high regard. Is it just a mismatch for my tastes, or does it improve in later episodes?
For reference, have previously enjoyed Scrubs and Big Bang Theory, watched all episodes of each…
Give it a few more episodes.
I myself recently finished binging this series. I was currious as to what the fuss was about.
The first few episodes were kind of “meh”. But them it started getting really good. I have a feeling though, the writing didn’t get better, it just took me a minute to “get” it.
I will say there’s a decline whenever the “Kouchtown” guy trakes over around S6.
Pilot episodes are almost always pretty uneven. But there are some good episodes in the first season: if you don’t like “Jack-Tor”, “Tracy Does Conan” or “The Rural Juror”, maybe the show isn’t for you.
On the other hand, I never got into Scrubs or The Big Bang Theory, so you can take my opinion with a grain of salt.
30 Rock & Parks & Rec are heavy on Cringe humor, Scrubs & TBBT are very different. Scrubs is really a dramedy with a lot of absurd comedy on the comedy side. TBBT is a generic comedy with a massive amount of geek appeal. (I liked it a lot).
Yes, it gets considerably better once you get a little deeper into the show. Jenna’s character gets fleshed out quite a bit more, as well as some of the writers. Also, Tracy and Jenna act more like friends, often conspiring against the others and they tone down Jenna’s jealously of Tracy. Similarly, Liz and Jack don’t butt heads, at least not like they did in the very beginning. The characters evolve quite a bit over the first season or so…except Kenneth, they sent him way down that rabbit hole.
PS, watch for Aubrey Plaza, she’s one of the NBC Pages (as she was in real life too) and in once scene for a few seconds. Not even what you’d call a cameo, it was long before Parks and Rec.
And speaking of characters evolving (very minor spoiler for a sub plot), I saw an interview with Jon Hamm and he mentioned his character on 30 Rock, saying something to the effect of "I don’t know what happened with him. I started out as a doctor/functioning adult/contributing member of society and a few episodes later I had hooks for hands.
Watch a few “Best of Jack”, “Best of Liz” videos on Youtube. That really got me into 30 Rock.
If you didn’t like the first two seasons I doubt whether you will change your opinion with later seasons. After Tracy meets Conan the show is pretty much set in its tracks. If you didn’t like episodes like the Rural Juror, this kind of humor isn’t for you. No problem, just don’t expect the show to get better for you.
For the record, I did enjoy the series very much. One thing I didn’t like, however, is that they didn’t pay much attention to consistent character development. Maybe that is what you are missing.
Or maybe the show has dated.
The OP only saw the first two episodes, not the first two seasons. A lot of shows take a while to find their footing.
The what? The rur ojerr?
The Irma Luhrman-Merman murder
Sorry, seem to have misread. In that case, by all means watch at least until Tracy does Conan.
I do not think it is the same type of humor as TBBT. I think you either like Tina Fey’s humor or you don’t.
I could not get through a single episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Nails on a chalkboard.
The first season was a long slog in finding the show’s identity. I think you could skip to season two and start over with a much improved show. The interaction between Liz and Jack is one of the great matchups in tv history.
I couldn’t watch Kimmy Schmidt either, though.
The first season episode “The Rural Juror” with Tracy Jordan’s Meat Machine is one of my all-time favourites.
“Dr. Spaceman is it true that bread eats away at your brain?”
“We have no way of knowing, because the powerful bread lobby keeps stopping my research.”
Kenneth: “I don’t vote Republican or Democrat. Choosing is a sin, so I always just write in the Lord’s name!”
Jack: “That’s Republican, we count those.”
It might be a mismatch for you.
TBBT is a more traditional sitcom - it uses more traditional story and joke structures (there’s a lot of setup - punchline). 30Rock uses a different style (there’s a lot of throw as many lines out as quickly as you can and hope the audience catches and laughs at more than they hate).
If you don’t like it 4 or 5 episodes in, stop. There’s too much good tv that you will like to waste time on stuff that you don’t.
I’ll echo what most people have said. I haven’t watched it since its original run, but I recall season 1 being somewhat uneven, and from season 2 on they had pretty much figured out what they wanted to be.
While they sometimes tried a little too hard to be quirky and edgy, I’d say they hit the target more often than not. That said, the show definitely has a particular style of humor, and that style may or may not float your boat.
Maybe skip ahead to season 2 and check out a few episodes. (I don’t think you’ll miss much continuity-wise.) If you’re still not feeling it, then it’s probably not for you. If you do start liking it, though, go back and finish up season 1. There is some good stuff there.
I’m almost half way through season 2. I haven’t noticed any major differences. Personally, so far it’s not a favorite but I like it enough that I will probably watch all of it.
I’m rewatching with a first time viewer and I spent most of the first season going “I swear it gets better.” Later in S1 and into S2 when it starts doing random nonsensical quick cutaways and gags and flashbacks, that feels like the “real” 30 Rock to me. It’s a cartoon with real people and the first bit of S1 doesn’t have that vibe yet.
30 Rock has two of my favorite lines from a sitcom:
Liz’s dad, Dick: You can’t have a Lemon party without old Dick.
&
Liz: Why are you wearing a tux?
Jack: It’s after 6. What am I, a farmer?
Liz and Jack are actually two of my favorite television characters. Once the show got humming, those two were magical together.