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List Price: $49.98 | | Label: Universal Studios
Salesrank: 261
Released: September 4, 2007 |
| Our Price: $20.00 |
| Used Price: $16.88 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Emmy Award winner Tina Fey writes, executive produces, and stars as Liz Lemon, the head writer of a live variety program in New York City. Liz's life is turned upside down when brash new network executive Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin in his Golden Globe winning role) interferes with her show, bringing the wildly unpredictable Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) into the cast. Now it's up to Liz to manage the mayhem and still try and have a life. Join in the behind-the-scenes hilarity with the complete first season (21 episodes) on DVD.
Description of 30 Rock - Season 1:
Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. Remember Arrested Development? Smartest, funniest show on television. A critics' darling. An Emmy-winner for Best Comedy Series. But no one watched, and it was cancelled. Will history repeat itself with 30 Rock? It's the smartest, funniest show on television. A critics' darling. An Emmy-winner for Best Comedy Series. And it finished its inaugural season in 137th place! Hopefully, people will discover all that they missed with this Season 1 set and 30 Rock will, better late than never, find the audience it so richly deserves. A behind-the-scenes workplace comedy in the grand tradition of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show, 30 Rock stars comedy geek goddess Tina Fey as Liz Lemmon, who juggles her hapless personal life with her chaotic career as the producer and head writer of an SNL-ish sketch comedy show. She has a new boss, cunning and ruthless GE executive Jack Donaghy (Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award-winner Alec Baldwin), who insists on being her mentor, and a new star, medicated, loose-cannon comedian Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan), who steals the spotlight from the show's flighty star, Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski).
Briskly paced and perfectly cast, 30 Rock rewards viewers with brilliant dialogue (when Liz asks Jack why he is dressed in a tuxedo with no formal event to attend, he coolly responds, "It's after six; what am I, a farmer?") and fresh characters you haven't seen on a hundred other sitcoms. Jack McBrayer is the series' scene-stealing breakout star as NBC page Kenneth, a sweet and innocent "rube." The ensemble's seemingly spontaneous byplay invites repeat viewings to catch jokes and sly bits of business you might have missed (in "Tracy Does Conan," listen for the initial confusion over how to pronounce Tracy's less-than-ethical physician, Dr. Spaceman, or, in "The Hair and the Head," watch for the Katie Couric slur on the wall of what is purported to be NBC anchor Brian Williams' trashed office). In a season full of gems (including "Black Tie," featuring Paul Reubens as severely inbred royalty), there are only a couple of comparative clunkers, but the pleasure of this ensemble's company more than compensates. 30 Rock is highly recommended for people like Kenneth who just love television so much. And by the hammer of Thor, watch season 2! --Donald Liebenson
30 Rock - Season 1 Reviews:
those people on the stage at the emmys . . . 
2009-12-14 - Although for the past few years I had seen Tiny Fey, Alec Baldwin, and various others connected with 30 Rock, on stage after winning at the Emmys, I had never actually checked out the program until now. Finding Tina personable on SNL, and with all the accolades, I was expecting 30 Rock to be a hilarious laugh riot, that would totally blow me away. Instead I found the program to be just mildly amusing, and rather unfocused at times. I was left wondering what all the fuss was about. It has appeal, and is certainly not a bad show, but if 30 Rock was the best comedy of 2006, then that probably says more about the competition, than the program itself.
Based on the world she knows so well, Tina Fey created a vehicle for herself. Liz Lemon is an interesting and quirky character, who is placed in a variety of situations. In middle management, she oversees the writing staff of TGS (which produces some pretty strange programming), and is also responsible to her boss, Jack Donaghy (Baldwin). Jack is not the jerk I expected him to be. He is not mean or demanding, and is really not a bad guy. He has some odd ideas (as do most of us), and is rather vain, but despite the façade, doesn't seem particularly competent. In the first half of the season, the stories mostly focus on the production side of TGS, but in the second half, things seem to shift to featuring more about Liz's personal life.
SNL cast members appearing include Tracy Morgan. Rachel Dratch, Chris Parnell, and Molly Shannon. Morgan's character Tracy Jordan, seems to be adapted from roles he did on SNL, a semi-coherent, half in touch with reality type, ready to fly off the handle at any moment. While perhaps funny in mild doses, Jordan is an acquired taste, that can be a bit hard to take for an extended period of time. The versatile Dratch, pops up in a variety of oddball roles, mostly in the early episodes.
Jane Krakowski is quite funny as the self absorbed blonde, Jenna Maroney. Early on, she provides advice to Liz, but unfortunately she disappears in the middle section, only to appear briefly in the later episodes. Interestingly, while Jenna is supposed to be the one using her feminine charms, it is Liz who favors low cut blouses, and push up bras.
Head writer Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit) gets the most screentime among the writers. Staff writers Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander), and Toofer (Keith Powell), and gopher Cerie (Katrina Bowden) do get some time in the beginning, but also fade a bit as the season progresses. New to the city is Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer), kind of the Gomer Pyle of pages. He's quite wacky, but again, probably best in limited doses.
30 Rock has an unmistakable east coast, upscale, big city vibe. The writing is snappy, and creative, but there are few laugh out loud moments of comedic brilliance. Liz is a variation of the lovable loser, and the humor is mostly of the low key ironic variety. Liz and Jack's relationship seems to consist largely of verbal sparring, with Jack applying putdowns both direct and indirect. A continuing storyline involving the development of Liz's relationship with Floyd 'the flower guy' (Jason Sudeikis), and Jack with Phoebe (Emily Mortimer), add some interest as the season comes to a close.
Comedy is subjective, but also easy to recognize. If you don't find something funny, that is just an honest response. Critical acclaim notwithstanding, 30 Rock was not the comedic gem I expected. The program definitely has moments, but there are things that just don't work. Liz shooting Wayne Brady's character in the butt is supposed to be funny? She is fortunate she didn't suffer the same fate as Plaxico Burress.
It would be nice if the episodes had chapter stops. The various commentary tracks are not very informative from a technical standpoint, but do to varying degrees, provide some insight into the creative process behind the show. Also included are various miscellaneous and fun extras, that round out the first season set.
What A Show 
2009-12-07 - I decided to buy this dvd to check out this show what's all about, and found out that it's a very funny show. All the cast is great, I will buy the season two next on my list.
Consistently funny (in spite of the premise!)
2009-10-30 - There are a lot of "hooks" in the first season of 30 Rock that made me hesitant to invest in the entire season and in the series. They have the insane movie star (Tracy), the dimwitted junior (Kenneth the page), the slovenly writer(s), the A-type boss, the ditsy blonde. I was bracing for a very funny few shows that tapered off into repetativeness as the characters with one-word descriptions wore out their welcomes. I now have much more faith in Tina Fey's instincts and writing. This season is funny all the way through, and does become funnier as the show moves along. The keys are the writing and the characters of Fey and Alec Baldwin, both of whom embody their roles, but never in quite the way you might expect.
Baldwin as Jack Donaghy is easily described - think the Pointy-Haired Boss from Dilbert, if he was competent and had some good ideas. It's one of the enduring qualities of the show that the conventions (boss as foil) is turned on its head. More often than not, Jack is right. There are also some really fun skeletons in his closet - a brother played by Nathan Lane who is a grifter, an ex-wife played by Isabella Rossalini, etc. But it's the subtle things that make his character (and all the characters) so much fun. For example, when Liz is too familiar with him in front of his bosses from GE head office, he scolds her "How dare you address me by my Christian name?"
Such little details are the joy of the series. Liz finds a soul mate because he recognises "Tootsie" as being, not a good movie but a "well-written" movie. She scolds someone for getting Star Trek and Star Wars mixed up. Her "white liberal guilt" forces her to stay with an African American boyfriend because she's worried she'll be perceived as racist if she breaks up with him, even though they have absolutely nothing in common. Jack finds a most formidable poker opponent in Kenneth the Page because he's too guileless to have any tells. Tracy is targetted by the "Black Mafia" (i.e. Oprah and Bill Cosby) because he's too stereotypical in his inner city/hip hop-style comedy. When the sexy intern announces she's getting married, one of the writers wonders "This isn't going to change the way you dress or lick lollipops, is it?"
Another surprise - Tina goes to the Saturday Night Live well constantly for her guest stars, and they are all good. Okay, Chris Parnell might be too far over the top with his Dr. Spaceman (properly pronounced "Spa-CHE-men"), and Rachel Dratch's lesbian animal wrangler wears out her welcome, but Jason Sudeikis shows real acting talent, Will Forte is good, and Dratch is hilarious in other parts, such as Barbara Walters. Rossalini steals the shows she's in, and even the much maligned Paul Rubens is excellent in his appearance as an inbred Hungarian prince.
I'm definitely looking forward to the next few seasons!
One star for Baldwin, one star for impressing award committees 
2009-10-01 - I tried, I really did. The first season, I tried three episodes and just couldn't stand it. I give it a star for Baldwin because as hard as it is to admit, every Baldwin is talented - whether hilarious comedy or drama or action, I enjoy them all - most of the time. The other star is for being so good at impressing the award committees. Whether it's because everybody knows everybody or because they make the kind of funny that the elite media types like or they made a deal, I do not know, but they deserve a star for being able to beat some of the best shows on tv without having to be one of the best shows on tv. That takes talent - or something. Sorry but it just doesn't compare, not even the same league as The Office, Big Bang, Pushing Daisies (more a comedy within a drama, I guess) and so many more. I tried after they won all the awards to watch the second season and it was worse than I remembered.
One of the comedies of all times
2009-09-01 - Season 1 of 30 Rock showcases comedy writing at its finest. I could watch "Jack Meets Dennis" and "Bottoms Up Day" everyday and laugh out loud every single time. It's brilliant.
