March 8, 2007: "Things Are Lining Up for Ol' Liz Lemon"
As our friends over at
Idol - and
30 Rock apparently knows who they are - would say: "Listen up, dawg. It wasn't my
favorite performance, but..." Yeah, something about this week's episode, in which Liz claimed power, Jack found family and Tracy sought religion (a subplot deserving of far greater screen time), just wasn't clicking for me. Was it because the "Dad isn't dead" twist was seen coming up Broadway? I dunno. That said, Nathan Lane was an excellent guest star and, as my wife and I agreed, actually kinda sorta looks like Alec Baldwin! (In a squint-your-eyes, Barbara-Walters-soft-focus way.)
The Dona-hee/Donag-hee/Dona-fee siblings' reunion was a fun visual, if only to see such a mishmash of
SNL vets peppered throughout. (When did Molly Shannon stop eating?)
Liz's power trip... I wasn't quite feeling it - I know, I'm being such a Debby Downer - though we all can probably identify with having that rare opportunity to squash a rival by questionable means, and her "I am the decider!" refrain was amusing, if not bullet-worthy. Bullets? Did someone say bullets?!
" Liz's workout-class deal breakers: "As long as it doesn't have the words 'strip,' 'salsa' or 'beatz with a Z' in the name."
" Pete fearing his wife's "big farm-people hands crushing my windpipe." Someone remind me, why'd he lie about getting a V?
" Liz suggesting Tracy try the star-studded religion of "Practicology" " and Tracy's flashback to his previous stab at the
cult faith: "There are 31 letters in the white alphabet!"
" Frank's extra-flashy "Liz Rocks" hat. (Here is where I remind you about
my Q&A with Judah.)
" Jack: "I haven't seen Eddie since I bailed him out of Disney jail," where he apparently was locked up for punching Goofy.
" Perhaps the night's best line, Kenneth schooling Tracy in his "We haven't been Presbyterian in months" religion, which holds services on Wednesdays: "We lose half the congregation every time
American Idol starts up."
" Eddie's hobby: "I talk homeless people into joining the army."
" Eddie and Jack reflecting on "great times": "I once convinced you you had lupus!"
" Liz catching an embarrassed Flowers Guy macking on
his Liz in the 'vator: "It's only inappropriate when it's ugly people."
" Later, an otherwise rational Liz targeting her rival for termination: "I can tell she's [deserving] by her stupid face."
" The crazy astronaut stalker chick reference!
" Jenna on kabbalah: "It mixes the fun part of Judaism with
magic."
" Tracy declaring, "I'm Irish-Catholic!"
" Jack introducing his sisters "Catherine, Catherine" and Margaret, the one "we just found out about."
" Jack to Liz: "You've gone chicken-killer on me over a guy, and you want the next president to be a
woman?"
" Eddie putting up his Donaghy dukes: "Say hello to Bono and Sandra Day O'Connor!"
" Pete interrupting Liz and FG with talk of A) needing her apartment key, B) their secret and C) the vasectomy. Bad moment, worse timing!
Reminder:
Andy Barker, P.I. takes over NBC's Thursdays-at-9:30 slot for a few weeks. (I'll blog that show, too... just because.) See y'all back here on April 13!
