October 25, 2006: "Just Friends, Like Oprah and Gayle"
This morning presented a first for me, watching a full TV episode online via streaming video at NBC.com. (Blame it on my Wednesday night out at a Showtime/
Weeds soiree, combined with a skittish FauxVo.) The bold venture delivered to me some unsettling news: I have the same "bi-curious" Converse sneakers as Liz Lemon. But maybe they're only bi when worn by a gal?
Once I got past the fact that
Sex and the City's Miranda went through the exact same "choking to death alone in my apartment" scare/epiphany as
30 Rock's Liz (albeit just once, not twice), and as the episode shed new light on Kenneth (who was at risk of becoming a cipher of a character), I was "all in," as the poker players say. Speaking of cards, laugh as you might at Tracy Jordan's crazy rules - "Face cards are wild, fives are a jinx, fives are twos" - I've been known to deal a wacky game myself. After all, without plenty o' wild cards, I would never win a single hand. I am that bad.
The very start of this week's episode reminded me of an idea I've always had: Can we come up with a "sniglet' for when an actor's on-screen credit actually appears
on the actor during an opening scene? It happened this week with Tina Fey/Liz. Post your suggestions in comments, and the winner will get... I dunno, a back massage from Rich Hall?
Some of my favorite moments this time around:
- Jack, peeling off bills for a blind-date-bound Liz: "I want you to find something... in a
woman's clothing store."
- Rachel Dratch's weekly cameo, this time as a young, adrogynous Liz.
- Jack questioning whether Liz's lesbian date actually likened her to Jennifer Jason Leigh, or
Jason Lee. (NBC shout-out No. 1!)
- Jack, calling Kenneth's bluff: "You'll always be a pig farmer's son. I smell fried baloney all over you" - and Kenneth then smelling his fingers.
- Tracy, as the world's worst poker cheat: "I have
four hearts in my body."
- Liz suggesting that she and her lesbian date move in together if both are alone in 25 years: "I would let you do stuff to me."
- Jack, warning Liz about Kenneth: "In five years, we'll all either be working for him... or dead by his hand."
- The poker party's centerpiece of (as Jack proudly touted it) "a giant shrimp made out of shrimp, diving into a bowl of shrimp."
- Learning that Liz's many failed relationships include the one with "that gangly redheaded guy... Conan." (NBC shout-out No. 2!)
Having run out of bullets and being well past deadline, I leave you with a final point to ponder: Do you think "The Girlie Show"'s "Dancing with the Deity" sketch is anything like
Studio 60's "Crazy Christians"?
Will we ever know?
Reminder, for the two of you out there who neglect to read my
Today's News blog: Effective Nov. 30,
30 Rock moves to Thursdays at 9:30 pm/ET, where it will follow the returning
Scrubs.
