30 Rock and the show-within-the-show, TGS, hit 100 episodes this week with a special hour-long episode and they really hit it out of the park. Besides being probably the funniest show of the series — and it stands up to repeat viewing — it was also a great thank you to all of the fans who have supported 30 Rock for the past five years. I loved the first season when Rachel Dratch would appear on each episode as a different character, and this week she appeared as two characters from the past, the Blue Man and Greta Johannson, Animal Wrangler. Also returning were Dennis Duffy, Dr. Spaceman, Jenna’s on-again-off-again boyfriend Paul and a bevy of guest stars: Michael Keaton as the building’s maintenance man, Rachael Ray, Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa, Matt Lauer, Brian Williams and Tom Hanks. And a grand total of four Jack Donaghys (three were hallucinations)!
As TGS faced cancellation without Tracy Jordan, a convenient gas leak caused flashbacks (most real, some not) and surreal situations that rewarded the faithful viewers and solidified 30 Rock as one of the best written comedies on TV. It’s also amazing that this is the first time the show has addressed Jane Krakowski‘s real-life pregnancy this season (she gave birth last week) by applying just about all of the typical sitcom tropes to the situation – she played a fat character on TGS, she carried an absurdly large candle in front of her stomach, she was hidden in wide shots by objects in the foreground, and she even had a hysterical pregnancy that vanished the minute she was offered a new career opportunity. I also loved how Jenna would think about the past five years as if Danny (Cheyenne Jackson) had been there the whole time and didn’t believe that there had been another guy, Josh, on the show before him (Danny even had Josh’s flashbacks at one point). And who else but Alec Baldwin could deliver a monologue about the dangers of stepping away from a successful movie career — including walking away from a successful franchise — to convince Tracy that if he wants to lose all respect in the industry, then all he has to do is go back on television? Genius!
There was just so much going on in this episode that words can’t adequately describe it all here without doing a complete recap, but I have to tip my hat to Tina Fey, the cast, the writers and everyone else associated with the show for just being so damned funny. And kudos to NBC/Comcast/GE for agreeing to be continually poked with a very sharp stick. Here’s to another 100 episodes and five years … and maybe some explanation of Kenneth Ellen Parcell’s headstone showing a birth year of 1781 and why Tracy, Jenna and Kenneth are all dead in five years!
“This better be important Jack. I was in the middle of bidding on a bag of bras on eBay.” — Liz
“So you did ninety-nine shows against all odds and reason. That’s something. Now it’s time to rest.” — Hank trying to tell Liz that TGS is canceled
“You want to cancel the only show on your network starring a 42-year-old woman … a show that is number one in its time slot among men 18 to 49 (slight pause) months left in prison?” — Liz
“Can you reminisce about something that happened since I’ve been here? ‘Cause I couldn’t see any of that.” — Danny after Jenna’s flashback
“Tonight TGS will not be the worst thing on television. It’ll be John Stossel.” — Liz
“I lied to all you ugly white ladies. I didn’t go to Africa. I was hiding in a warehouse in Queens watching vintage pornography.” — Tracy trying to destroy all of the goodwill earned from his dramatic movie role.
“I love your honesty.” — A totally earnest Kelly Ripa
“And what is Farm Aid? Is it a drink? Is it a drug? Is it a bandage you put on a barn? See, that’s the kind of lazy stand-up I’ll never do again.” — Tracy
“Dammit! I’m getting to old for this shhhhhhhh sound that comes from this gas pipe.” — Tom, the maintenance man
“Did you also have to evacuate the NBC store?” — Liz
“No, it’s just empty.” — Jack
“Everyone would talk about my crazy name choice. Right now, it’s between Frisbee Face and Glock, gender irrelevant.” — Jenna, considering baby names to draw attention to Jenna
“Excuse me, miss, how much is a lap dance? I’m a little light on cash but I have a PayPal account.” — Liz, trying to lift Tracy’s spirits
“I studied time dilation and quantum teleportation in college.” — Jack
“No you didn’t. You saw Timecop.” — Sideways Jack
“Why are you both wearing tuxedos?” — Jack to Sideways Jack and Past Jack
“It’s after six. What are we … farmers?” — The two gas-leak hallucination Jacks
“If you have a problem, I will fight you Dennis.” — Jack
“That wouldn’t be very fair. I’m only trained to fight four or more men at a time.” — Dennis
“There are three more of me upstairs and I’d be very happy to go get them.” — Jack
“I can’t. I hurt my wrist.” — Dennis
“Look at you … endangering the lives of hundreds of people for a show that TV Guide once called ‘still on.'” — Jack
Clacked by Chuck Duncan 
on Apr 24, 2011 @ 20:09 EST5EDT
