Unaired '30 Rock' Pilot

Most people love '30 Rock'. Or at least love to hate it.

Other people, my mother included, are completely crazy and don't "understand" the show.

Regardless, I think everyone will agree that the show in its current version is far superior to what it could have been. Watch the original, unaired pilot with a (slightly) different cast to see what I mean:

link will open in a new window

'30 Rock' Returns!

Dear '30 Rock',
Thank you for coming back to us. I missed you severely while you were gone. 
As Liz Lemon said, "Happy Two Thousand Twelve!"
Love,
-em
P.S. "Are you touching the phone because you're a baby and you're developing your fine motor skills or...because you're trying to tell me something?"
P.P.S. Read my full review below (with spoilers), after the baby.

'30 Rock' returned to NBC last night after an extended hiatus. The characters on the show were also all coming back to work after being gone for the winter. Over their break Jenna had become a judge on a singing competition for kids (bascially an 'American Idol' for the tot set--the fact that this isn't already a real show is pretty shocking), Kenneth had decided the Rapture was coming, and Liz Lemon had some interesting developments in her own life. But lets not get too far ahead of ourselves.

The episode opened with Liz and Jack interacting for the first time since the holidays, and Jack trying to prove how well he really knew Liz. Almost everything he quoted was accurate, which clearly gave Jack the normal sense of superiority he always craves (come on, why else would he be friends with her?).

Despite the  fact that Jack failed to see it (a hint of things to come, perhaps), everyone else on the staff noticed that Liz was not at all like her usual self. She ignored Tracy's threats to "do something crazy", gave Kenneth the day off because he believed the Rapture was coming, and was way more laid back than normal. Tracy decides to investigate why Liz is acting differently.

Meanwhile, Jack is concerned because Jenna is making children cry on the singing kids TV show. Normally he wouldn't care at all, but his daughter is skewing his perspective (Or maybe making it the right one. Nah, let's go with 'skewing', capitalist Jack is way more fun). He tells Jenna to tone down her mean talk, but when he sees the audience's reaction (they likes mean Jenna!) he changes his mind. This decision is solidified by a scene in which Jack's daughter, Liddy, asks for "money" (actually she says "mommy", but Jack chooses to hear what he wants). Jack is thrilled that his little girl is growing up to be a capitalist, just like him.

Since Kenneth has been given free rein to do whatever he wants, he decides to do his chore list (this is actually what it sounds like). Pete tries to inspire him to do better things before he dies, but he's uninterested. Toofer, Frank, and Lutz mess with Kenneth throughout the episode, encouraging his belief that he's going to die.

During his investigations Tracy sees Liz buying some pills, and becomes concerned that she has become a "crack whore". He brings her bizarre behavior to Jack's attention. Jack looks at one of the pills and realizes that it's for joint pain. He then uses his wealth of Liz Lemon knowledge to figure out what she's been doing...she's dancing. In a middle-aged cheerleading WNBA team.

Jack thinks he has everything figured out at the end of the episode: money is everything, Liddy is a budding Capitalist, and Liz Lemon is so happy because she's dancing. He's wrong. He drops Liz off at a movie theater, declaring that she must be going to the 9:10 show alone, and reiterating that he knows her as well as she knows herself. But, just as his car begins to leave, Jack notices Liz kissing a man. The look on his face is priceless, as though he's suddenly afraid that he's lost something. I think it will be fascinating, and hilarious, to see how Jack will function if Liz Lemon is not a complete mess.

Is it next Thursday yet?

Screen Actors Guild Nominations Announced!

Let's take a look at the TV nominations...
Who was nominated for a SAG award? Which shows are doing the best? And which networks have the most nominations? (Scroll down to see a list of all nominees)

'Modern Family' has the most nominations (5 total), but of those five, two pairs of them are competing against each other, so the most awards the show could win would be three. '30 Rock' also has the chance to win three awards...we'll just have to wait and see whether having actors from the same show competing against each other in the same category splits the vote.

NBC is the network with the most nominated actors/shows (a total of 6), followed closely by ABC (5) and HBO (5). However, all of ABC's nominations are for 'Modern Family', and 60% of HBO's nominations are for Stunt Ensemble Performances, while NBC has nominations for both '30 Rock' and 'The Office'. CBS has only three nominations, as does Showtime. The fourth network, FOX, has the fewest nominations: 1. And that one nod is for 'Glee', a show which frankly does not deserve a win.

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Drama Series
Kathy Bates for 'Harry's Law' (NBC)
Glenn Close for 'Damages' (FX)
Jessica Lange for 'American Horror Story' (FX)
Julianna Margules for 'The Good Wife' (CBS)
Kyra Sedgwick for 'The Closer' (TNT)


Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Comedy Series
Julie Bowen for 'Modern Family' (ABC)
Edie Falco for 'Nurse Jackie' (Showtime)
Tina Fey for '30 Rock' (NBC)
Sofia Vergara for 'Modern Family' (ABC)
Betty White for 'Hot In Cleveland' (TV Land)

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Drama Series
Patrick J. Adams for 'Suits' (USA)
Steve Buscemi for 'Boardwalk Empire' (HBO)
Kyle Chandler for 'Friday Night Lights' (DirecTV/The 101 Network)
Bryan Cranston for 'Breaking Bad' (AMC)
Michael C. Hall for 'Dexter' (Showtime)


Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin for '30 Rock' (NBC)
Ty Burrell for 'Modern Family' (ABC)
Steve Carell for 'The Office' (NBC)
Jon Cryer for 'Two and a Half Men' (CBS)
Eric Stonestreet for 'Modern Family' (ABC)


Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Drama Series
'Boardwalk Empire' (HBO)

'Breaking Bad' (AMC)
'Dexter' (Showtime)
'Game of Thrones' (HBO)
'The Good Wife' (CBS)


Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Comedy Series
'30 Rock' (NBC)
'The Big Bang Theory' (CBS)
'Glee' (FOX)
'Modern Family' (ABC)
'The Office' (NBC)


Outstanding Performance By A Stunt Ensemble In A Television Series
'Dexter' (HBO)
'Game of Thrones' (HBO)
'Southland' (TNT)
'Spartacus' (STARZ)
'True Blood' (HBO)

Proof that '30 Rock' is coming back

'30 Rock' is one of my favorite shows, which is why I got especially nervous when the cast and crew went on extended hiatus due to Tina Fey's newest addition. But now that the baby's born, and Fey has taken maternity leave, we can all breath a sigh of relief because....NBC has started filming new episodes of '30 Rock'. The proof is in the photos (thanks On Location Vacations!):

'30 Rock' has been filming scenes all around NYC, including this one outside the NBC Experience Store at the real 30 Rockefeller Plaza. It should be back on NBC is January.

emmy nominations for 2011 are announced! comedy

2011 Emmy Nominations "Comedy"
...who's nominated, who I want to win, and who probably will
looking for "drama"?

Lead Actress--Comedy:
*Edie Falco She's a media darling, but she won last year.
*Laura Linney She's a media darling, and she's been nominated for academy awards (3) and won emmys (3), it wouldn't surprise me if she beat Poehler.
*Amy Poehler Her show didn't deserve a win last year, but Poehler's hilarity made it a gem in 2011.
*Melissa McCarthy Her show isn't that great, but that hasn't stopped them before (Jon Cryer won in 2009?!).
*Martha Plimpton This show is tons of fun, and I think Plimpton's great, but I don't believe it has the following to win this year.
*Tina Fey She hasn't won since '08, but she's been nominated every year. and while I think she's marvelous I think this may be Poehler's year.

Lead Actor--Comedy:
*Matt LeBlanc Huh, I heard 'Episodes' is good...but I haven't seen it so I can't comment.
*Jim Parsons I can't stand 'The Big Bang Theory'. I know, I know, lots of people like it...
*Johnny Galecki See above.
*Steve Carell Last year on 'The Office'? last chance to win an Emmy? I'm thinking he will win.
*Louis C.K. He's pretty hilarious but maybe a little too vulgar for voters to think he "deserves" an Emmy.
*Alec Baldwin Two Emmy nominations but no win? Well, that's a travesty. I think he should win this year.

Supporting Actress--Comedy:
*Jane Lynch She won last year, and she's hosting this year. So, I guess she could win, but I think they should give someone else a shot.
*Betty White She's already won 7. And 'Hot in Cleveland' is not good.
*Kristen Wiig I know Fey won for SNL that one time, but that was probably a flux.
*Julie Bowen 'Modern Family' was a favorite last year, and out of all their actresses Bowen should win this.
*Jane Krakowski I love her! And I'd love it if she'd win. After all, no other actress wore a giant dog suit (while pregnant!) and walked a man around on a leash.
*Sofia Vergara Again, I love 'Modern Family', but I think Bowen really deserves the nod.

Supporting Actor--Comedy:
*Jon Cryer Read what I wrote for McCarthy above.
*Chris Colfer Yeah, yeah, "Glee" is big. And Colfer's okay. But he is not funny. I just don't see it.
*Jesse Tyler Ferguson Woah they loved their 'Modern Family' this year too! Sorry Jesse, but I want to give this to Ty.
*Ed O'Neill This is his first Emmy nomination, but after publicly snubbing Lynch last year I'm not sure he'll manage a win.
*Eric Stonestreet You won last year. Give someone else a chance!
*Ty Burrell He's hilarious on 'Modern Family', and can say even the most straightforward line with enough character to make you laugh out loud.

Check back later for my opinions on the other Emmy categories. Also, think I'm wrong? Think someone should have been nominated who wasn't? Leave a comment! Who will win? Who should win?