I've been watching this recently. It's the first Tina Fey thing I've seen.
I'm finding it to be OK, but there's one thing that bugs me and I want to know if it's something that happens in Fey's other shows. I find that the show doesn't trust the audience enough. For example, in one episode Kimmy mentions that the school's budget is so low they're renting out lockers to Japanese businessmen. As soon as she says this, a locker opens and a Japanese businessman walks out. It feels clunky (especially as all dialogue stops). In a show like Arrested Development you'd see the businessman either later, or before the line, or in the background. This feels too convenient and unnatural. Does this happen in 30 rock?
I think so. The joke is that you don't expect them to show it.
It's pretty much a cut-away gag.
>>62947355
Yes, it feels cartoony, in a bad way. Like new simpsons.
It reminds me of people who do something cool, but then try and act blasé about it on social media, so they post something like "casually on a rollercoaster, as you do" (I can't think of anything cool). The fact they post about it undermines their attempt to be blasé. The gags in this try to be deadpan but the way they do it screams "look how wacky this is"
>>62946342
Those kind of gags are pretty typical these days. I blame Family Guy.
>I've been Googling you.
>You have? I didn't feel it.
>Titus, cherish this time. Someday you'll wake up and you'll say, "Who's that old woman in the mirror?" And then she'll punch you, and you'll say, "That's not a mirror. That's an open window."
..wake up washing blood from a knife...
>>62947570
The whole show is a live action cartoon. It's very nicktoons in tone. Whereas 30 Rock is truly Patrician. Much better tone and the wackiness almost always works. Steve Martin Episode is glorious.
>>62946342
THEM FEMALES ARE STRONG AS HELL
>>62946342
Its shitty writing to nail bad jokes, they tell it to you, then go out of their way to show it to you, ruining the flow in the process
>>62948730
Yes. My question is, is that Tina Fey's thing?
>>62946342
30 Rock is far more subtle past the first season. Unbreakable will probably be better next season, as it will be produced straight to Netflix (no time limitations on episodes and segments as opposed to TV).
>>62949047
They made this with no time limitations
It's really on the nose but a lot of the gags work in my opinion. Like when Titus is hearing the Reverend's voiceover,
>and the Devil will appear in a cloud of smoke and try to drag you to hell
>then Carol Kane pops up with a big ass stogie , "Hey Titus, wanna go to Boston Market?"
>>62949170
No they didn't, the whole season was produced for NBC and they decided not to air it, so Netflix bought the rights. Next season will be produced by Netflix.
It's a show with an insane amount of gags density, some are a hit and miss, some other are fantastic, the recurrent Olsen twins gag is my favourite.
The one with japanese in the locker was kinda lame and it will works better if they didn't show them to us, but still.
>>62948597
On youtube there is the complete (fake) interview, he was talking about unbreakable and strong were some sunglasses he found nearby.
I still think that's a good result to do a cartoony show with such dark premises.
Favorite 30 rock jokes?
Tracy (training to be an astronaut): I'm tired, when do I get some Tang? Also I'm thirsty. Ha! Wordplay!
>>62949413
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZUxrrH2gt8
Jack helping Tracy on the therapy, showing Alec Baldwin's full range.
>>62949413
"That's a garaunteed disaster, like eating a burrito before sex."
>>62949530
One of the best
>>62949209
Netflix also has time limits, but yeah, this
>>62949413
People do like the way she says ham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeXPZG4peM0
>>62949613
It doesn't, according to David Cross and Bob Odenkirk on the With Bob and David documentary last episode (sequel to Mr. Show produced for Netflix, really good stuff). There's a budget allocated to projects, but not a time limit per se. Because there aren't any commercial breaks, they also don't have to limit segments until what they feel is necessary.
>>62949413
"My single is called 'My Single Is Dropping', and it's dropping."
WEREWOLF BAR MITZVAH SPOOKY SCARY, BOYS BECOMING MEN, MEN BECOMING WOLVES
"Ugh, the male gaze" "Yeah, they're all a bunch of gays"
>>62949413
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYEQh9IkVXU
>The only honesty is in suicide
Also all of Dr. Spaceman.
>We have no way of knowing where the heart is.
>Liz, I believe doctor-patient confidentiality is a two way street. I'm cheating on my wife.
Also when he offers Tracy and Jack some pills after they come to ask him questions.
>>62949413
>>62949811
>If you want a shot, you're going to have to dance for it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdnSc12bx5c
>>62949891
stupid sexy liz
Troll the respawn, Jeremy!
>>62949209
It was never for nbc, they sold it to Netflix before it was filmed
>>62949891
Dr Spaceman was MVP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ggdzBj31PQ
Attention everyone. I found a glove in the elevator.
If anyone is missing a glove, I may have found your glove!
>>62950066
Holy shit, the Questlove gag
>>62950064
http://deadline.com/2015/05/tina-fey-robert-carlock-unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt-netflix-1201426206/
>When NBC told you that they weren’t moving forward with the show on their schedule, what was your reaction?
>Fey: NBC never said they didn’t want it on the schedule. We talked with (NBC Entertainment president) Jennifer Salke when we were shooting episode 12 of the 13 and she said, “We’re not feeling confident about watching comedies.” We had a slot, but there were talks about holding for summer, then talks of putting it on in January, then there was a plan to do the show at 10 p.m. NBCU spent too much money on the show and they weren’t going to burn it off. The conversation opened up about approaching Netflix. (NBC Entertainment chairman) Bob (Greenblatt) and Jen were supportive. It’s kind of like when your spouse says you can sleep with other people. It was a better home for the show today. It all happened in a week when we met with (Netflix chief content officer) Ted Sarandos.
Don't talk about stuff you don't know.
>>62948376
God. That episode, the "twist" really threw me. I fucking love 30 Rock in general.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is good too. Love Jon Hamm, him flexing his comedic side more than his bit in 30 Rock is welcome.
Wait. You know what? This is my glove!
If anyone sees another glove, I've lost one of my gloves.
Thank you!
You just illustrated why I was so conflicted with 30 Rock and Kimmy Schmidt. I just got done watching all of 30 Rock and I really ducking enjoyed it, some of it was hilarious. But I kept asking myself "Why am I not laughing out loud, like I did with Parks and Arrested?" And I think you pinned the nail on the head. She's very obvious sometimes. The best moments of 30 Rock were based Jack Donaghy and Tracy/Jenna team-ups. I think I laughed the hardest the episode Tracy is giving a treasure hunt for his money on Larry King Live.
Any way, Tina Fey is talented but I think OPs right, she doesn't trust her audience (in a way she's right not too, there was a lot do references to people that go over my head).
>>62950317
>Tracy is giving a treasure hunt for his money on Larry King Live.
Oh god I have to rewatch that. Not only giving ominous clues to his treasure but giving advice about the economic crisis.
But yea you may be right. I feel like I don't laugh as much at Liz scenes.
>>62950066
>there are four things I want to do this summer, but they're roommates so it's tricky
kek
>>62950317
I read somewhere she wanted to do a comedy show about an Austrian prince with a lot of disabilities instead, but was vetted. Unbreakable is her going a little tamer than that, I guess. I like it, but I'm hoping it improves a lot next season because it's nowhere near 30 Rock yet, which is my second favorite comedy on television, losing only to Arrested Development.
I could never get into Parks and Rec. Is the first season significantly weaker than the rest or if I didn't like it I probably just won't like the show in general?
>>62950549
>Is the first season significantly weaker
yes, it becomes a very different show after the first season
30 rock was so good, but in all honesty I don't think I would have even given it a chance had it not been for Alec Baldwin. He sold that show for me.
Some of my favorite 30 rock moments:
"I miscounted the men, Liz!!!"
Hello, I'm "Doctor" Leo Spaceman
"In my high-school yearbook I was voted 'Best'"
>>62950064
BTFO
>>62950158
Oh brother!
>>62950578
>>62950549
It gets way better. I recently watched it again and it really wasn't as funny in the beginning. Season 2 onward is glorious but I'd say the high point is Season 3 - 5. The moment Adam Scott and Rob Lowe come on the show it really picks up.>>62950578
>>62950675
fucking kenneth
>>62950850
>Cherie
wew lad
>>62950835
I'd say 2-3 were legit brilliant but it really starts to go downhill during 4 and starts treading water and becoming a bit irritating.
That 2009-2011 Community/Parks/Office/30 Rock lineup was GOAT
>>62951265
>That 2009-2011 Community/Parks/Office/30 Rock lineup was GOAT
It really was. Now NBC basically just makes shows that sound like they should be jokes on 30 Rock
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZLkcFns8Ks
>>62950850
>>62951410
Yup, especially the first 2 seasons of community. Parks was past its growing pains and the office was still good.
>>62951577
I always wondered why they added that new temp character, she was no Kenneth. Maybe they thought they needed to spice things up somehow since the show had been on for so long at that point?
>>62951127
I recommend watching Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil.
She's very good in it.
>>62951747
I think Tina just like Kristen Schaal, she was on mad men and the daily show which 30 rock mention/borrow from a lot
Could someone explain why 30 Rock is so well regarded? I see people putting it in the same league as AD and prime Community but I just can't see it myself. The whole thing just feels bland and by the numbers - it's not bad but it isn't great either.
>>62951747
>>62952078
Schaal's character was awful. Shame, because Schaal is great. Top tier voice actress and she's amazing on Last Man on Earth
>>62952092
Rapid fire wordplay, layered jokes, male-female bonding that isn't fueled by sex, politically neutral, really good satirical content. It's pretty much a love letter to television, so it appeals to an older audience.
>>62952092
Its a smart show with interesting characters, refined dialogue, and a quick pace. I'm not sure what you mean by "by the numbers" either.
>>62952183
Damn guy, you put my thoughts into such a succinct manner.
>>62952092
30 Rock is so well regarded because it is the perfect joke delivery machine.
It's so dense, every image has so many jokes going on.
>>62952183
>mfw friend finished the show and said he was "disappointed liz and jack didnt end up together"
>>62946342
>Does this happen in 30 rock?
30 Rock is just NBC parodying itself for seven seasons/138 episodes.
But it does have hundreds of "cut away to character doing something bizarre" jokes just like Family Guy. It has season long story arcs like UKS which you don't see in many sitcoms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxk_P3PNuZU
>>62952092
30 Rock doesn't feel as innovative as it did when it premiered. The big thing is that it massively upped the pace and had way more focus on weird, wacky, and often obscure jokes in a way that didn't happen before on live-action sitcoms.
Did you watch it when it premiered? A lot of what made it special seems less interesting these days. Like, if you watched Community before 30 Rock then 30 Rock wouldn't seem anywhere near as special because Community went even further.
>>62952311
Its sad that Family Guy has ruined this type of joke. They literally spent weeks on costume/set design for that "throwaway bizarre joke".
Sometimes they hit you on the head with the humor and you feel slightly insulted by it, but I think they do it a good bit less in 30 Rock. Most of the jokes on that show they don't "follow up" on, and just let them be. You'll still see them sometimes be a little too blunt, but overall I think you would enjoy it more than Unbreakable.
>>62952392
Cut-aways just felt tired and lazy by the time 30 Rock ended. No cutaways yet being able to deliver similar kinds of jokes were one of the big things that made Community seem so different.
>>62952311
>>62952392
>But it does have hundreds of "cut away to character doing something bizarre" jokes just like Family Guy.
Difference between Family Guy cutaways and 30 Rock cutaways is that 30 Rock's are bizarre but relevant to the character or situation, as well as funny.
Family Guy's are neither.
>>62952462
It's worth remembering that Family Guy only returned a year after 30 Rock, cut-away gags didn't feel like they had been ran into the ground yet. 9 years later and they've lost their novelty.
>>62949413
Oh, no Liz! Did a Korean person die?!
"Help me, Liz, you're my only hope!
Dr Spaceman's "do the meth" gag
Any time Kennith alludes to being immortal
Snitting next to Borpo
Jack's therapy session.
Any Jon Hamm cameo
You see, all these jokes need a ton of setup and context.
I'm suprised people aren't shit talking Unbreakable because it seems like the kind of thing everyone on this board would hate because of some of the really unfunny things it does. When it is actually funny though I find it hilarious.
>>62952680
Well, I did think some of the later episodes were tedious and unfunny and I kind of wonder about whether they can sustain it given that.
But 30 Rock and Fey get a ton of shit for stuff that's not really true, like being PC/"muh liberals" when Fey always went for the joke over anything else.
Can't believe no one's posted this absolute goddess yet.
Been stalking her on twitter and she seems like a really cruel posh girl. My dick is diamonds
>>62952680
30 Rock 9.5/10
Unbreakable 6/10
You think her hymen is unbreakable?
>>62952130
>Top tier voice actress and she's amazing on Last Man on Earth
LmoE's season got cut from 22 to 13 episodes. Maybe that's what was originally intended but don't get too attached to it. .
>>62952763
https://vimeo.com/127234818
>what a unique woman XDD
>>62949855
30 rock has like three different blackface scenes
the show was kind of edgy with racial humor and I liked that
>>62953251
Its order didn't get cut, it only got ordered for 13. Will Forte didn't want to do full seasons.
>>62946342
I don´t get why Kimmy and 30Rock are so popular. EVERY character is so fucking obnoxious, it hurts.
>>62952763
Anyone else have a weird boner for her pig-nosed friend?
>>62949413
>His name is Black Dennis? That is racist!
>Yeah right Liz, the guy with the black son is racist.
>>62949530
Holy shit I really need to watch 30 Rock. Is the whole show this good?
>>62952311
Could the jokes be any more shoehorned in?
>>62953683
it varies but I'd say it stays pretty strong throughout and I'm gladliz and Jack never hooked up
>>62953683
Past halfway season 1, yes. Very much so.
>>62952366
>massively upped the pace
Have you seen Arrested Development?
>>62953612
Yes
>>62949413
>Next up, Grizz's weekly DVD reviews
>One would not expect a movie called Somewhere, to end up going absolutely nowhere
Did they have razors down in the bunker?
>>62953615
Dennis was Liz's best bf
>when he ended on Dateline
>pagers shop
>coffee vending machines business
>>62949413
A pack of wild dogs took over and successfully ran a Wendy's!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGkk3ZzAbAU
The best 30 rock gag
https://youtu.be/SoK9QOAhECU
>>62949413
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyTTj5Lof8w
>>62953683
it's pretty fucking solid
watch it
>>62946342
>Arrested Development
The show that needed Ron Howard to explain the story, because no one trusted fattard Americans to be able to follow a show or remember anything..
Thank you, come again!
>>62953821
Grizz and dotcom are so underrated
>>62953612
yes
>>62953434
>https://vimeo.com/127234818
yeah i quite like how awful she is, such a vapid entitlment. also:
>698 views
are you not dylan gelula
>>62953739
Yes, watched it when it originally aired, was never a fan.
>>62953739
In their defense, a lot of people didn't. Hurts especially bad when they allude to that fact near the end of the third season.
>>62951747
>Maybe they thought they needed to spice things up somehow since the show had been on for so long at that point?
They kind of make a joke about that so probably.
>You're just another weird page and I already have one of those.
>>62953892
excellent gag
>>62951747
Because the show is great and the characters all have an arc. Kenneth Jenna and Tracy were all becoming to stable in relation to eachother (nearing the ends of their arcs). This was the perfect solution.
>>62952092
maybe it has lost some of its luster because a lot of the jokes were highly topical
but actually i did rewatch the series a few months ago and I still found it absolutely hilarious, so I don't know, maybe you just didn't get most of the jokes? it's much more reliant on external, real life references than something like Arrested Development
>>62953892
Why did you post this when you know I won't get the chance to wrap my fingers around your fat neck
>>62946342
WATCH MEAN GIRLS
The best thing Tina Fey has done
>>62954312
It's Nathan Fielder
>>62951872
im surprised katrina hasn't been doing anything lately
>>62953892
Oh jesus that's good but not for the 30 rock
>>62954570
Goddamnit that's the point.
>>62954665
I started laughing at the camerawork but wasn't sure what was coming so I still thought 30 rock would be the punchline alright
>>62951641
Season 3 of community was pretty good.
>>62955099
yeah and so was season 8 of the office
>>62949702
I meant time limits on production like the guy who made the original point. Not time limits on episodes like nobody was talking about. Fuck.
>>62950030
Wrong show
>>62955844
>I meant time limits on production like the guy who made the original point.
I'm that guy, you just misinterpreted.
>>62950549
Pee Wee Herman played an Austrian prince with multiple disabilities on 30 Rock... Weird that she thought that was funny enough to sustain a series. Kimmy is pretty good. I'm mostly surprised by how little homophobia it gets.
Parks wasn't very good in s1. It took me three tries to get to s2 but it was easy to love from there
Kimmy Schmidt, like 30 Rock, is really hit and miss. It's just that you don't notice because the sheer volume of jokes being thrown at you fast in a short running time is so high, you'll almost always come out of it having gotten your share with more to discover on a rewatch. It's by no means classic Simpsons tier where that humor usually comes for a real clever or obscure reference you were to young or ignorant to catch the first, second or even third time around, but it's neither as lazy and stupid as Zombie Simposns or Family Guy, like some of you are accusing it of being.
>>62952092
30 Rock suffers from "Seinfeld Isn't Funny Syndrome"
It was so good that it got emulated. Then it was so copied that people forgot 30 Rock made that happen. Now everyone wants to be quick witted and weird like 30 Rock but they don't even know that 30 Rock ushered the era.
>>62954118
Arrested is binge-watching from before that was commonplace. If you waited a week in between episodes, you surely missed the recurring gags. Check out DevelopmentArrested.com to see the crazy amount of running gags.
>>62956143
>It was so good that it got emulated.
literally by who?
>>62946342
test
Unbreakable is okay, I like the lead, but the old landlady woman and the black gay are really bad characters. 30 Rock is okay, Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan are brilliant in it, but a lot of the others are pretty lame tbqh family
>>62956495
>not enjoying the writer's room
Wow senpai. You have shit taste.
>>62950239
Watch Todd Margaret, with David Cross. Hamm is funny in that.
>>62956495
I like Titus, but agree about the old lady. Carol Kane seems to misdeliver nearly every line. Maybe that's the point.
>>62956542
It's getting a post-apocalyptic 3rd season... Not sure if I'm okay with that but I'll give it a shot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rATJDgyZNj4
>>62956653
I love Carol Kane. "You people have suffered" ahahah
>>62956657
So I've heard, which is weird as I've seen a show end so definitively. I don't remember much of it but there were a couple of bits that killed me. One was just something David Cross did with his eyebrows. The other was when he pretended to be deaf.
>>62956762
Will Arnett offering him a little boy... Oh, two little boys?
Hahah so fucked uo
>>62946342
It's meant to be a visual gag. The joke is propped up by the visual absurdity.
Not trusting the audience would be explaining that Japanese people have a business culture that epitomizes eccentric value of time and space
>>62956495
Alec Baldwin as Jack is the given, so to speak. But the other characters weren't so bad. Kenneth, for me, hovered between great and grating. Toofer was funny, or witty most of the time; the episode where he and Frank get into a feud that they aren't willing to see through was one of my favorites. Frank himself is okay, his hats were usually good. Pete felt a bit standard, if that makes sense. Which may have been the entire point of the character.
Those episodes where Kelsey Grammer appeared are GOAT.
I'm probably going to end up rewatching 30 Rock now. Thanks thread I barely participated in.
>>62956495
Titus was frequently one of my favorite characters both times I watched the season. The landlady had her moments, and I enjoyed her flavor anyway.
Worst characters in Unbreakable were Tina Fey's/her black partner. I don't know, felt too exaggerated for some reason, even if that was the schtick; more of an aesthetic issue for me.
>>62957164
Tina and Jerry are both amazing comedians... Miscast in bad roles with zero funny lines... Jerry Minor in HBO's Lucky Louie was fucking amazing. He's also a Mr Show alum.
>>62946342
The English boyfriend was pretty funny imo. Daddy's boy musical and ''The dolphin died on the pavement'' bit especially. It definitely has some childish moments or some jokes drag too long but on the other hand some very memorable moments.
>>62957067
>Those episodes where Kelsey Grammer appeared are GOAT.
I think it's perfect that his character was a conman. They could have went obvious, that he was a cultured and refined intelligent man and tried to get humor out that way, but it was genius to have him working cons.
>>62957067
>Those episodes where Kelsey Grammer appeared are GOAT.
Fucking A
>>62957067
is Kelsey Grammer ever not based?
>>62957649
Not always, in xmen first class nicholas hoult played him, but I think they were both beast in days of future past
>>62949047
this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-bvHlb2Fe8
(for those who don't watch - liz lemon is tina fey's character, her character's dad is called dick)
how many people will actually get that?
and yeah sure the show has cutaway gags, but they're mostly good or plot-based ones from my memory, rather than the absurd/shock/unrelated shit from family guy (you think that's bad?...) and zombie simpsons
e.g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbk4Bvic5jA
>>62957067
>yfw youll never be in the best friends gang
why live?
>>62946342
They alive dammit!
>>62949047
squeezing my mind grapes
>>62949413
When Dr. Spaceman calls 411 instead of 911 and asks for diabetes repair.
PINOT
>>62953612
Yeah, senpai.
>>62962915
Ugh that bitch is fugly
And best joke
https://youtu.be/bBuNvyo4j54
>>62957812
>zombie simpsons
What does this mean?
>>62947848
strong autism. very strong.
>>62946342
I'm not sure if that's a Tina Fey thing or just something about that show.
Like for 30 Rock there is PLENTY of shit that I only caught because I watched episodes in chunks back to back. The first time around, there was no way people were connecting all of the callbacks to minor shit from episodes that must have aired months prior.
Then again, that show was kind of Fey's big break and I think she's going through a George Lucas kind of thing now since everything I've seen from her since 30 Rock has been mediocre, including the last two or three seasons of 30 Rock itself.
She's awesome in a small dose. She doesn't sustain well. Which is sad because all of her movies sucked.
>>62963897
Kind of this
Kimmy schmit is okay and still has the same pace as 30 rock, but it rubs feminist messages in it all the time. It isn't subtle
>>62949530
DYN-O-MITE
