“3
0 Rock” returns for Season 4 with an episode titled, yes, “Season Four.”
And for the cast and crew of the fictional NBC show “TGS,” the fictional fall season looks financially grim and grimmer. Therefore, Jack (Alec Baldwin) decides changes and cutbacks have to be made all over the network — except in his personal paycheck and bonus, that is.
First on his “to do” list is figuring out how to make “TGS” more relevant to the little guy — the great unwashed out there who can’t relate to the high-living stars of the show. He tells this to the show’s stars over fast food at a chain restaurant, where he believes he can get more in touch with “real people.”
High living Tracy (Tracy Morgan) doesn’t understand why his standup act, which features jokes about how people eat lobster on St. Bart’s, may not be relevant to Regular Joes.
“Have I lost my roots?,” he cries. “I better talk to Rabbi Schmuley!” Now, that’s a hilarious line — but only if you happen to live and work right next door to 30 Rock and work in the media and get the reference to media hog Rabbi Schmuley Boteach, who was Michael Jackson’s guru. Talk about art imitating life!
To do her part to be more relevant to the masses, Jenna decides to become a country singer because that’s not just where the real people are, but where the real money is, as well.
Speaking of money, Jack’s attempts to make the network leaner is the meaner idea to cut back hours for pages, who he declares will no longer be able to work more than 16 hours a day. This, of course, ruins Kenneth’s life, since 16 hours is a slow day for him. When Kenneth then is mistakenly handed Jack’s check (the payroll department was cut to one guy) and sees endless zeroes, he calls a strike of the pages. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling very jump the shark right now.
Anyway, this causes Jack to bring in a strike-buster, who never does anything and is played, for no real reason, by Steve Buscemi.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some good laughs here, but there’s also the threat that “30 Rock” could easily turn into that thing the writers relentlessly make fun of — TV shows and stars that are too smug, too smart and too out-of-touch for their own good.
“30 Rock” could become “The Office” in a New York minute. That was a great show that went from funny to smart to smug.
Art imitating life is good — unless art is confused with comedy.