30 Rock takes its viewers behind the scenes of a sketch-comedy show, covering the tendency toward lunacy of its actors, writers, and corporate executives. Liz Lemon (Fey) is continually forced to mediate between her show’s stars (played by Tracy Morgan and Jane Krakowski) while dealing with the absurd demands of her mentor/boss, the sharp-toothed corporate shark Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), whose strict capitalist conservatism clashes with Lemon’s liberalism. In her efforts to “have it all,” a successful career and a loving family, the overworked, food-loving curmudgeon invents her own sense of normalcy, which at one point includes being married in a Princess Leia dress. This critically acclaimed comedy is infused with irony line after line and owns a self-awareness that often offers commentary on the sitcom genre as well as social concerns in a quirky voice that is completely unique to its creator.
Rachel Leibrock December 22, 2020Updated: December 22, 2020, 9:58 pm
Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute and Steve Carell as Michael Scott in a 2005 “The Office” episode, “The Christmas Party.” Photo: Paul Drinkwater , NBCUniversal
For many, December is usually the busiest time of year, a month of parties and family gatherings.
This year, of course, not so much.
Don’t be (too) sad, though think of it as an excuse to indulge in some old-fashioned, small-screen cheer.
Holiday episodes of your favorite drama or comedy are practically a genre in their own right. Some are so good, they’ve become classics as beloved as any movie or one-off special.