Chicagoist: "30 Rock" Makes Us Laugh

GD

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 12:38:31 -0600

I enjoyed the show but didn't care so much for the oh so subtle cross marketing of a GE product placement. The placement of the new GE oven within the show (as a prop for Alec Baldwin) and then 2 commercials for it during the show was just a bit over the top. I suppose they are trying to counter our use of TiVo and DVR to blast through the commercials. I know this is not the first show to do it, but it just felt like an obvious slap in the face during 30 Rock. Be more subtle bext time!

Matt Stratton

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 12:37:53 -0600

Oh, and for those of us who watched 30 Rock on a Tivo, we missed out on the fact that the tri-vection oven is a real thing. From a friend's blog: The wierdest part of this show is that between all the laughs and plot twists there is a real tripple cooking trivection oven. For real! Its not just some weird thing they made up for Alec Baldwin's character, and they're running ads for it in the 1st position in the commercial breaks!! That has got to be the oddest product placement I've ever seen. He even explains how it works and how fast it cooks the turkey, so you get the commercial right in the show!!! I had wondered if that was going to turn out to be real. I'm a little disappointed that it is; that bit was funny to me when I thought it was a made-up device. Discovering it was real, and being plugged, made it not only unfunny, but awkward.

Matt Stratton

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 12:33:34 -0600

I don't think 30 Rock has legs. I think it would do better if there was no Studio 60 - but in comparison, it comes off way too jokey. I wanted to like it. I really did. Big fan of Tina Fey. But this really didn't feel like her. It actually felt very, very rushed. I think my biggest problem with 30 Rock was that it couldn't seem to decide what it was - was it wacky? Was it smart? Who knows? I'm willing to give it a few more episodes though. It got a handful of laughs out of me, but sometimes it just felt like it was trying too hard.

CG

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 11:47:18 -0600

http://charminggardener.blogspot.com/2006/10/30-rock-meh.html

Steve

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 11:32:37 -0600

This show is a lame combination of Arrested Development, The Office and its sister show "Studio 60." Baldwin just does Baldwin, which holds so little appeal anymore. Tina is a mediocre actress; the rest of the cast is as bland. I laughed twice the entire episode. Tina Fey is much more suited for either sketches or one long jaunt (a la "Mean Girls"). Making a series that needs development is a little out of her reach, it seems.

cohendal

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 11:04:21 -0600

it would have been even better if dratch's original role hadn't been replaced by jane krakowski.

tankboy

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 10:39:20 -0600

Plus I hope to see more of Kevin Dorff (ex-Second City, current Conan O'Brien scribe) as the hot dog stand line-jumper.

Jeremy

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 09:55:40 -0600

didnt see it. but studio 60 is turning into something of a yawnfest. so i will check this out.

Todd

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 09:24:04 -0600

I think NBC has a hit with this one. It has a ton of potential.