# I am astonished at how bad "30 Rock" is **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2011, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734 "2011-10-05T23:48:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/21 "2011-10-06T04:47:05Z")
It was recommended to me and I accidentally found it when channel surfing the other night so I stayed for a while and it did nothing for me. In fact I thought it was unfunny. But I don’t like TV in general. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/22 "2011-10-06T04:51:34Z")
> [@hazynlazy](#): > > …then realize it’s not 3rd Rock from the Sun and my heart sinks a bit. Ah, one of my all time favs! ---
**Author:** ![Clark\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@Clark\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clark_K)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/23 "2011-10-06T04:56:36Z")
It’s a great show, but definitely quirky and stylized. If your preferred quirk and style don’t match it, then you won’t like it. Mileage varies. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/24 "2011-10-06T13:57:45Z")
I never understood all kudos and awards this show took in and all the love heaped upon it when most people I know in real life either didn’t watch it or were semi-entusiastic about it. They thought it was nice, funny, amusing, etc. but nothing to write home about. Then I realized the love wasn’t coming from the public but more from the industry itself. Why? Because it was a show about the industry. And there’s nothing people in the business love more than shows about themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/25 "2011-10-06T14:12:48Z")
I found Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip more appealing. Lasted one season, while 30 Rock is still going after 5. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/26 "2011-10-06T14:22:19Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > I never understood all kudos and awards this show took in and all the love heaped upon it when most people I know in real life either didn’t watch it or were semi-entusiastic about it. They thought it was nice, funny, amusing, etc. but nothing to write home about. > Then I realized the love wasn’t coming from the public but more from the industry itself. Why? Because it was a show about the industry. And there’s nothing people in the business love more than shows about themselves. Correcto, plus I think people just (understandably) like Tina Fey, and awards shows are a combination of people swapping prizes with their buddies, and occasionally picking tokens to appease the outsider crowd. As much as I adore Ms. Fey, I’ve never gotten behind the show, and lord knows I tried, especially considering my husband wouldn’t miss it. I would hear the jokes and think “Ah, that was a joke in which I can find the humor, so why am I not laughing?” Alec Baldwin’s character is at times priceless, but outside of those rare moments of levity brought to us by Donaghey, the show just isn’t that great. Plus I also hate Tracy Morgan. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/27 "2011-10-06T14:33:57Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Correcto, plus I think people just (understandably) like Tina Fey, and awards shows are a combination of people swapping prizes with their buddies, and occasionally picking tokens to appease the outsider crowd. As much as I adore Ms. Fey, I’ve never gotten behind the show, and lord knows I tried, especially considering my husband wouldn’t miss it. I would hear the jokes and think “Ah, that was a joke in which I can find the humor, so why am I not laughing?” Alec Baldwin’s character is at times priceless, but outside of those rare moments of levity brought to us by Donaghey, the show just isn’t that great. > > Plus I also hate Tracy Morgan. FWIW, 30 Rock is one of my favorite shows, I don’t follow TV award shows at all, have nothing to do with the entertainment industry and was barely aware of who Tina Fey was before 30 Rock. Seems like shows about comedies always have this kind of post, theorizing that the people that claim to like it don’t _really_ like it, but have been subject to some sort of brainwashing. Its kinda silly. Humors subjective, and its entirely possible for some people to find things funny that strike other people as stupid. I think SDMB favorite Big Bang Theory is the dumbest thing on TV, but I don’t really doubt people that the large numbers of people who claim to find it funny do in fact, honestly find it funny. I don’t really need some elaborate sociological theory to explain how they were tricked into enjoying it. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/28 "2011-10-06T14:35:40Z")
What the hell are you talking about? I’m sure some people actually _do_ like it; I’m just not one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/29 "2011-10-06T14:41:07Z")
I love 30 Rock. Even Tracy Morgan, who annoyed me at first, but grew on me. Alec Baldwin is a genius. Agreed, **Simplico** — I can’t stand “Everybody Hates Raymond” yet I don’t believe that it ran for one zillion seasons solely because everyone was afraid to say they didn’t like it. I believe that plenty of people have different taste than me. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/30 "2011-10-06T15:17:13Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Yeah…a bunch of quick, glib one-liners is not natural conversation and does not real characters make. You take that back! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/31 "2011-10-06T16:02:21Z")
Interesting. I love 30 Rock - heck, it’s, per **kunilou** , the Bizarro Mary Tyler Moore and I love the quirkiness and zaniness… - Mary Richards = Liz Lemon - Lou Grant = Jack Donaghy - Ted Baxter = Tracy Jordan - Sue Ann Nivens = Jenna - Georgette = Kenneth - Murray = the bald guy (what the heck is his name in the show? Not that it matters) And yeah, \*\*Judah Friedlander \*\* is pointless and unfunny. ---
**Author:** ![ScatteredFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@ScatteredFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScatteredFrog)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/32 "2011-10-06T16:23:01Z")
_30 Rock_, IMHO, is one of the most brilliant sitcoms at least in the last thirty years. Having said that, if you’re just now starting to watch it and it happens to be the first season, well…don’t expect much. For about the first half of the first season, it was basically Tina Fey venting her prior man issues through Liz Lemon, and it got old. FAST. I didn’t see the show lasting much longer…then it all changed with the episode with Paul Reubens. THAT…is when the show found its groove. 2nd season = just effing amazing. 3rd season – meh, with a couple of moments of brilliants (including the Oprah episode). 4th season – better than the 3rd. 5th season was very inconsistent, I think…but with its moments of brilliance… Bald guy = Pete Hornberger. As for Judah Friedlander…I know his character is based on someone…an actual SNL writer…damned if I can remember who…but he does have his moments, like assisting Tracy with his porn video game… ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/33 "2011-10-06T20:57:52Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It’s never held me. There’s a laugh here and there, but nothing makes me feel like I’d miss anything if I didn’t see it, which I haven’t done for a while now. Also, I hate Tracy Morgan. That is close enough verbatim to what I would say, that I will just quote you. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/34 "2011-10-06T21:07:58Z")
I still watch, but I liked the first season (maybe season-and-a-half) a LOT more than the subsequent ones. In the first season, it seemed like Liz Lemon was the sane center in the hurricane of crazy. She was perhaps unlucky in love and had a few quirks, but she was basically normal. Since then she’s warped into this really pathetic, pitiful character that’s crazier than any of the wackos she works with, and the show has lost a lot of its appeal to me because of that. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/35 "2011-10-06T21:22:32Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Yeah…a bunch of quick, glib one-liners is not natural conversation and does not real characters make. Phail. …Yeah, and Picasso couldn’t paint worth a damn, either. It’s absurdist comedy of the highest order and I rather like the absurd. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/36 "2011-10-06T21:36:13Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > I still watch, but I liked the first season (maybe season-and-a-half) a LOT more than the subsequent ones. > > In the first season, it seemed like Liz Lemon was the sane center in the hurricane of crazy. She was perhaps unlucky in love and had a few quirks, but she was basically normal. Since then she’s warped into this really pathetic, pitiful character that’s crazier than any of the wackos she works with, and the show has lost a lot of its appeal to me because of that. If CC is starting from the beginning, then she’s already pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/37 "2011-10-06T22:54:51Z")
> [@Hbns](#): > > I found Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip more appealing. Lasted one season, while 30 Rock is still going after 5. THANK YOU!! Studio 60 was brilliantly written and acted, a drama about a sketch-comedy show. Which is probably why so many knuckle-draggers complained “It’s not funny enough!” It’s not a sitcom, geniuses. _sigh_ I miss Studio 60. 30 Rock, OTOH, I gave about six episodes before I turned it off in disgust. Unappealing characters and just plain dumb. _Why_ does Alec Baldwin have to be unrelentingly stupid in order to be funny? Why does Tina Fey have to be so pathetic? Jane Krakowski, a smoking-hot funny woman, annoyed the hell out of me! Tracy Morgan made me want to scoop out my eyes with rusty grapefruit spoons! _This_ is Emmy-winning comedy?!? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/38 "2011-10-06T23:08:54Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > THANK YOU!! Studio 60 was brilliantly written and acted, a drama about a sketch-comedy show. Which is probably why so many knuckle-draggers complained “It’s not funny enough!” It’s not a sitcom, geniuses. Studio 60 thought it was a drama about a funny sketch comedy show. It turned out to be a drama about an unfunny sketch comedy show that all of the characters treated as a funny and Important sketch comedy show. That disconnect made the drama fall flat. On 30 Rock, TGS is a bad show, and nobody acts like it’s funny or Important (except once or twice, specifically to mock Studio 60). ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/39 "2011-10-06T23:29:01Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > If CC is starting from the beginning, then she’s already pathetic. > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I have no idea what season I’m watching now – whatever Comedy Central is running. Al Gore appeared, and David Schwimmer played a eco-character named Green Zone. That’s a season 2 episode. In any event, I don’t mean to imply that season 1 was drastically different in style or comedic sensibility. But turning Liz Lemon into another one of the crazies definitely lowered my opinion of the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734/40 "2011-10-06T23:40:54Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > That’s a season 2 episode. In any event, I don’t mean to imply that season 1 was drastically different in style or comedic sensibility. But turning Liz Lemon into another one of the crazies definitely lowered my opinion of the whole thing. Maybe. I was assuming that kunilou was correct in post 16 saying they’re running the very first episodes right now. Maybe kunilou is wrong, or maybe they’re running them out of sequence. Doesn’t matter much to me as I’ve already stopped watching it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-astonished-at-how-bad-30-rock-is/598734.md?page=3)