Liz Lemon’s catchphrases
We don’t need this bad boy to remind us of all of the sad or sassy snips of conversation Liz declares in each episode. From “what the what?” to “I want to go to there,” the “Liz-isms” offer the perfect amount of quirkiness to Tina Fey’s character. The writers never over do it, which is to say you will never see Liz Lemon pounding away on her novelty phone like Juno, or swaying through Central Park to the beat of Mozart, like…well, you know. Lemon’s declarations of “blerg,” or “SHARK FARTS” make us wish we were effortlessly off-kilter enough that cleverness dribbled off our tongues the way double chocolate milkshakes must drip off Liz’s.
LL’s arm candy
If admiring Tina Fey’s bouncy curling locks and authoritative, yet playful rectangular glasses is not enough, let us remind you of the dudes Liz has “unpacked the Snack Pack” (a pudding inspired sexual innuendo I just made up) with in the past. Lemon’s significant others include Dean Winters, of obnoxious car commercials that interrupt my Hulu videos (if for some reason you’re into that type of thing), SNL’s Jason Sudeikis, whose ability to shift quickly from slimy douchebag, to handsome nice guy, to Mitt Romney is uncanny, Jon Hamm, who currently stars in every woman’s dreams, Rachel McAdams’ current English squeeze, Michael Sheen, and, my personal favorite, Matt Damon as an airline pilot named Carol Burnett. Why does Matt Damon wear anything other than a pilot’s uniform…ever?
Other guest stars!
30 Rock also acts as a roll call for SNL veterans, such as Will Forte as Jenna Maroney’s boyfriend, a Jenna Maroney impersonator, or Chris Parnell as the highly qualified Dr. Spaceman. A handful of other memorable recurring guests include Will Arnett as Jack Donaghy’s gay business rival, Devon Banks, Margaret Cho as Kim Jong-Un, the dictator of North Korea, or James Franco as…himself. Jack Donaghy’s list of lovers ranges from a Puerto Rican temptress played by Salma Hayek to Julianne Moore as a Boston divorcée, to ending up with The Hunger Games scene stealer Elizabeth Banks. The actors who drop in on the 30 Rock world attack their goofy roles with a bright-eyed enthusiasm that reflects their desire simply to be breathing Tina Fey’s self-deprecating, pizza-scented air.
Her Costars
30 Rock’s crowning glory is its stars who breathe so much life into that obsolete thing we call “a script.” The personalities Liz surrounds herself with are just like a group of friends that includes theater kids, the politically minded, and the wildcard. Jack Donaghy’s “one percent” wisdom and general confusion and disdain for how the other half (or should we say other 47%) lives seems to better represent the feelings of the Republicans with humor than the GOP can articulate seriously. Donaghy’s satire of corporate life echoes the greed of Wall Street without coming off as too preachy. Tracey Jordan and Jenna Maroney’s childlike shenanigans, both on the stage and all over Manhattan, are absurdly amusing as well as indicative of the elevated status we give celebrities: those rich, beautiful shiny people. Kenneth Parcell’s religious country bumpkin bumbling all over New York contrasts with his innocence, and adoration for the world of television that is rapidly fading before our very eyes, being replaced by vapid, sleazy reality shows (which, in the case of that last example, I would be okay with actually airing).
On a personal note, every time I come out of the bathroom with my skirt tucked in to my underwear,or empty the trays at Peirce into my pockets, which I’ve lined with sandwich bags, (only when the menu looks like this) or spend a day marathoning The Millionaire Matchmaker in my snuggie, I will look to the heaven of good show biz decisions, where the costume designer for The Avengers and the casting director for Titanic live. I will raise my cheesy blasters to Tina and her crew: Long Live TGS.
…On my Netflix account.
Where I can watch it at 11pm on a Saturday night.
With a bag of cheese balls nestled in my lap.