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List Price: $49.98 | | Label: Universal Studios
Salesrank: 695
Released: September 22, 2009 |
| Our Price: $34.74 |
| Used Price: $30.49 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Re-enjoy the complete third season of the Primetime Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning comedy 30 Rock, hailed by The New York Times as “its third season” and by The Sun as a “comedy… shown on NBC… [which is a] network.” Primetime Emmy®, Golden Globe® and SAG® Award winner (and show creator) Tina Fey and Primetime Emmy®, Golden Globe® and SAG® Award winner Alec Baldwin star as corporate executive Jack Donaghy and TV writer Liz Lemon (reverse respectively). Together, Jack and Liz manage the workplace chaos with no help from Liz’s loose-cannon stars Tracy Jordan and Jenna Maroney (Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski) and hapless NBC page Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer). The end result is topless break-dancing, professional tetherball, geriatric kidnapping, bird murder, sexual espionage, Appalachian witchcraft, patricide, gay lion tattoos and important life lessons learned from sasquatches. Join in the behind-the-scenes fun with lots of exclusive content and all 22 episodes of the acclaimed third season of 30 Rock from executive producer Lorne Michaels (Hot Rod).
Description of 30 Rock - Season Three:
Warning: The third season of 30 Rock may cause fits of "lizzing" (an elevated state of hilarity that involves laughter plus whizzing) with its brilliantly loopy word play, "what the what" situations, and deft turns by a stellar roster of A-list guest stars. Liz Lemon (Emmy-winning geek goddess Tina Fey) trying to avoid jury duty by dressing as Princess Leia? Jenna (Jane Krakowski) starring in a biopic about Janis Joplin (or Jackie Jomp-Jomp due to rights complications that forbid use of Joplin's name and music)? Steve Martin as a fabulously wealthy agoraphobe? I want to go to there! This season, Liz increasingly yearns for a normal life outside of the demands of her sanity-testing job as head writer of TGS, a Saturday Night Live-esque comedy show. Happiness will find Liz, but not before two hilariously doomed relationships, one with a little person (guest star Peter Dinklage), whom she initially mistakes for a child, and the other with a neighbor (Mad Men's Jon Hamm) who doesn't realize people have allowed him to skate through life because of his impossibly good looks. She also has a rude awakening when she joins a group of Ladies who Lunch while on forced administrative leave. Her friendship with Master of the Universe mentor Jack Donaghy (indispensable Emmy-winner Alec Baldwin) is the series' endearing sweet spot.
30 Rock is unlike any other workplace comedy on television. Dancing to its own comic rhythms, the series takes great delight in tweaking sitcom clichés and conventions. In "The Bubble," the scene is set for a montage of Id-driven Tracy Jordan's (Tracy Morgan) wackiest moments on the show. Instead, Liz dreamily reflects, "I'm thinking of some of them right now." Family Guy's got nothing on 30 Rock when it comes to the surreal arbitrary gag, as when naive NBC page Kenneth (Jack McBreyer) realizes he is being sexually harassed by a Miss Vierra (Meredith from The Today Show), or when sociopathic, narcissistic Jenna is taught a lesson by the writers who have banded together as the feathered Fedora-clad Pranksmen. 30 Rock makes truly inspired use of the actors, TV icons, and musicians who appear this season. In "Believe in the Stars," Oprah Winfrey, smelling of "rose water and warm laundry," hilariously appears as herself, kind of. In "The One with the Cast of Night Court," Jennifer Aniston is upstaged by Harry Anderson, Markie Post, and Charles "Mac" Robinson. Salma Hayek makes for an exotic love interest for Jack in a multi-episode arc. The season finale features Sheryl Crow, Clay Aiken, Elvis Costello (a.k.a. Declan McManus, international art thief), Adam Levine, and others brought together for a benefit to find a kidney for Jack's long-lost father (Alan Alda). But the joy of 30 Rock is not the stars, but such brain-tickling lines as, "I watched Boston Legal nine times before I realized it wasn't a new Star Trek," and the charming character grace notes, like seeing the world as Kenneth does, populated by Muppets. In the season finale, Liz remarks that she figures TGS (30 Rock?) has two years left. Say it ain't so! --Donald Liebenson
Stills from 30 Rock - Season Three (Click for larger image)
30 Rock - Season Three Reviews:
Thank you Netflix helping me catch up on this 
2009-12-15 - Netflix is pretty much my best friend. When I'm bored I say, "Hey, Netflix, wanna hang?" To which Netlfix promptly replies, "Fo sho, dawg! Sit yo ass down and pull up yo instant queue!"
What I'm trying to say is that me and Netflix spend a lot of time together. It might not be the healthiest relationship, I mean I am paying for it after all, but it relaxes me and helps me not go crazy. It also helps me catch up on TV shows I missed, like 30 Rock. I was a little busier last semester and was unable to catch episodes of season three when they aired live. Thanks to my loving mistress, Netflix, I got caught up on season three (watching the entire season in two days) just in time for season four to start.
For those who don't know, 30 Rock is an NBC comedy that depicts the behind the scenes shenanigans of a fictional sketch comedy show called TGS. It was nominated for 22 Emmys in 2009 so the idea of someone having not heard of it is kind of ridiculous. Anyway, I was a huge fan of the first two seasons and had great expectations for the third season. Not only were they met, but they were surpassed.
The main reason the show succeeds is the outstanding cast. Tina Fey basically plays herself as the character Liz Lemon, the head writer of TGS. She is so incredibly awkward and relationship-challenged it's adorable. I'm not ashamed to admit I have a crush on her even though she's almost 40. Tracy Morgan plays also plays a version of himself in the character Tracy Jordan, the erratic star of TGS. He's so hilarious in this role I always forget his name is actually Tracy Morgan, not Tracy Jordan. Alec Baldwin just makes me happy. I can't even keep a straight face when writing about his performance as Jack Donaghy, the Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming. Baldwin is easily my favorite character. His portrayal of a suave, hardcore Republican, no-nonsense businessman is hilarious to the point of absurdity.
Numerous guest appearances add to the already star filled show. Steve Buscimi makes multiple appearances as Jack's private investigator. Salma Hayek has a fairly large role as Jack's fiancée. Other guest stars include Steve Martin, Jennifer Aniston, and Oprah.
The other thing that helps 30 Rock is its mixture of low brow and high brow comedy. When something like Two and a Half Men consistently gets labeled as one of the most watched comedies in America, I never cease to be amazed that something as magical as 30 Rock airs. Don't get me wrong, I love me some sex jokes here and there but I also like some more sophisticated wordplay type jokes. I even love jokes that make fun of sophisticated topical jokes. For instance, probably my favorite line from Season 3 is when Tracy Jordan says, "My video game is the most profitable thing since the war on terror." And then he follows it up with, "Yes, I am provocative."
This season has many great moments though. From Jack's courtship of his mom's Puerto Rican nurse (played by Salma Hayek) to the crew of TGS making Tracy Jordan's dream of being astronaut come true, it is all one hilarious ride.
30 Rock Season 3 Review
2009-11-15 - Customers who buy this dvd for its writing and acting content will be quite satisified. The writing is well done and reflects the humor the American landscape of 2008.
However, the customers who purchase dvds to learn insightful information will be greatly disappointed. Most of the information in the audio commentary does not provide enough background information. This is the same problem of 30 Rock Seasons 1 and 2.
The only consistant quality audio commentator is Judah Friedlander. He focuses on why jokes were made, why lines were said and does it in a mannor that is not sarcastic or inappropriate like Scott Adist and Will Arnet in Season 2. Jack McBrayer and Jane Krakowski would do better without all of the silly laughter. Tina Fey would do well to follow Judah's lead.
To conclude 30 Rock Season 4 audio commentary should follow the lead of the first 4 seasons of The Simpsons, relavant audio commentary for every episode.
Getting Old 
2009-11-12 - Least favorite season. Actually liked less than half of the episodes this season. Too bad!
30 ROCK is the best comedy on television!
2009-10-25 - Tina Fey is a genius. Tracey Morgan is the funniest man in show business. Alec Baldwin's comic timing cannot be beat. Jack McBrayer is so weird, he's addicting. Any fan of this show is going to want to collect all three seasons of DVDs. Hoping this show runs for years!
Tina Fey a comedy genius
2009-10-24 - Season 3 of 30 Rock does not disappoint. I watched the show initially in the first season, but for some reason i drifted away from the series. Last year I started watching it again and I'm hooked! Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin make a great comedy team, and the supporting cast of Jane Krokowski, Tracy Jordan, and Jack McBrayer are awesome as well.
