+ Best New York Title of the Year + Best Returning TV-series of the Year + Best Sitcom of the Year
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| New York is a set on this vibrant, fun poster for the third season of Tina Fey's 30 Rock |
30 Rock season 3 is a great satirical sitcom by creator Tina Fey (Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt (2015-19), creator/co-star), who also returns as its New York comedy TV sketch-showrunner protagonist Liz Lemon.
In the first episode, Liz's boss Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin (Andron (2015))) reacquires his job as NBC executive, following a stint in Washington DC, by employing soap opera tactics. Baldwin is spectacular throughout the season and bags many laughs with his manic energy and strong line deliveries.
Salma Hayek (Midaq Alley (1995))) is introduced as Jack's romantic interest in the season (in episode 7: Señor Macho Solo) as Jack's mother's nurse, while Liz fouls up as she dates a UN employee (Peter Dinklage (Saint John of Las Vegas (2009))). Jenna (Jane Krakowski (Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008))), one of the stars of Liz's sketch show, is chasing a breakout project for herself through the season, a Janis Joplin biopic, and Krakowski's Jenna is one of the show's funniest characters in season 3. Her Joplin dream culminates tragically (episode 18: Jackie Jormp-Jomp).
Jon Hamm (Metalocalypse (2012), TV-series) is introduced as Lemon's love interest in season 3 (in funny/wacky episode 10: Generalissimo). The season has an episode (episode 16: Apollo, Apollo) wherein we see the world from Jack, series regular Southerner NBC page Kenneth (Jack McBrayer (Drive Share (2017), TV-series)) and Jenna's perspectives, - and witness the phone sex line ad that Liz made earlier in her career.
The season is rounded off (with episode 22: Kidney Now!) with NBC throwing a star-studded kidney-donation benefit TV concert (Elvis Costello, Moby, Mary J. Blige, Norah Jones and Cyndi Lauper are among the stars present), while Liz guests a black talkshow that respond approvingly to her 'dealbreaker' catchphrase.
30 Rock's third season is incredibly fun; it hits the spot very often and is only rarely a tooth too wacky.
Guest stars in the season include John McEnroe (Arli$$ (1996), TV-series), Bobb'e J. Thompson (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)), Steve Martin (Bowfinger (1999)), John Lithgow (Shrek (2001)) and many others.
Best episodes:
Episode 2: Believe in the Stars - Written by Robert Carlock (Joey (2004-06)); directed by Don Scardino (The Mindy Project (2013), TV-series)
Liz believes she meets Oprah on a flight out of town to avoid jury duty.
Episode 3: The One with the Cast of Night Court - Written by Jack Burditt (The Kicker (2016), TV movie); directed by Gail Mancuso (Ground Floor (2013-15))
Jennifer Aniston (Bruce Almighty (2003))) guest stars as a nymphomaniac, - and is hysterically funny.
Episode 6: Christmas Special - Written by Kay Cannon (Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)), Fey; directed by Scardino
Jack's mother (Elaine Stritch (Trapper John, M.D. (1983), TV-series)) returns, and Jack breaks both her hips by accidentally backing into her.
Episode 9: Retreat to Move Forward - Written by Tami Sagher (Orange Is the New Black (2018), TV-series); directed by Steve Buscemi (Portlandia (2015-17))
Chris Parnell (The Spoils Before Dying (2015), miniseries) as the recurring Dr. Leo Spaceman is hilarious, here in an episode in which Jenna also has an affair with one of the sketch show's writers, Frank (Judah Friedlander (The Proctor (2007), short)).
Episode 10: The Funcooker - Written by Donald Glover (Mystery Team (2009)), Tom Ceraulo (Jack Donaghy, Executive Superhero (2011), TV-series); directed by Ken Whittingham (Black-ish (2014-17))
Almost too crazy to explain, this episode concerns Jack's taking on naming a new pocket-microwave oven invention!
Episode 21: Mamma Mia - Written by Ron Weiner (Silicon Valley (2014-18)); directed by Scardino
Alan Alda (Same Time, Next Year (1978)) is hilarious, introduced as Jack's biological father, whom he finds and hugs with a great emotional outpouring and the line: "You don't know the half of it! - I need a kidney!
Related posts:
Tina Fey: Admission (2013) - Despite messy script, Fey is hilarious in Weitz's romcom (starring actor)
Date Night (2010) - Carell and Fey bring out the big laugh guns (starring actor)
Megamind (2010) - Ferrell leads McGrath's hilarious animation superbly (voice actor)
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
30 Rock - season 4 (2009) - Fey, Baldwin & Co. return for long but often hilarious fourth season (creator/executive producer/co-writer/starring actor)
2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2008 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2008 in films - according to Film Excess
30 Rock - season 1 (2006) - NY showbiz satire on speed (creator/co-writer/starring actor)
Mean Girls (2004) - Lohan, Waters and Fey's high school satire triumph (writer/co-star)
Cost: Unknown
Box office: None - TV-series
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[30 Rock season 3 originally ran on NBC from 30 October 2008 - 14 May 2009 and spans 22 episodes of an average 22 minutes, coming to about 484 minutes. Shooting took place in New York. The season premiere drew 8.7 mil. viewers in the US, the biggest premiere in the show's 7 season life. The season's average of 7.5 mil. $ viewers was also the biggest average 30 Rock achieved. The highest-rated show was episode 6: Christmas Special with 8.9 mil. viewers; lowest was the following episode 7: Señor Macho Solo with 5.4 mil.. The season was nominated for 22 Emmys, making it the most nominated show of the year, winning 3, and an additional 2 Creative Arts Emmys, 3/3 Golden Globe nominations and other honors. Fey kept extremely busy around the time of season 3: Besides writing, executive-producing and starring in the season, she had the following projects that year: Starring in Baby Mama (2008), giving a voice performance in Ponyo (2008), playing Governor Sarah Palin in an episode of Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Summer Edition (2008), starring in video Elmo and the Bookaneers (2009) and co-starring in The Invention of Lying (2009). 30 Rock returned with its season 4 in October 2009. 30 Rock season 3 is the highest-rated season of the show on Rotten Tomatoes; it is fresh at 89 % with a 8.46/10 critical average.]
What do you think of 30 Rock season 3?
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