Ever since the premiere of the new fall slate of programming, it’s not a returning comedy or new drama that people can’t seem to stop talking about. It’s the 32-year-old “Saturday Night Live” that has, of late, been seeming fresher than ever. However, for all the buzz the show has been getting, it’s only the first 15 minutes and one standout (who’s not even part of the cast) that seems to be the topic of the town. Yes, that’s right you Joe Schmoe six-packs, I’m talking about Tina Fey.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve woken up every Sunday morning and immediately surfed NBC.com or hulu.com for the videos from the night before, and then watched them again that afternoon only to quote these bits incessantly the coming week until the next new episode premiered.
Unfortunately, however, in only a few short weeks the presidential election will move from the newspapers to the history books and, whether Governor Palin and Senator McCain win or lose Nov. 4, Fey’s accent and winks will become a distant memory.
Conveniently enough, Fey’s show “30 Rock” returns the Thursday before the election, and subsequently, so does my sanity and life’s happiness.
It all makes such perfect sense. Just as Sarah Palin either fades back into obscurity or makes the move to D.C. to her seat as the president of the Senate, one of her biggest hurdles, Tina Fey’s dead-on weekly mock sessions, becomes a success in her own right and on her own show. I couldn’t have written it better myself.
Once “30 Rock” returns, Fey will no longer be limited by the 15 minutes usually appropriated for the opening monologue of “SNL” or will no longer have to figure out a way to awkwardly fit “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” into her witty banter. Imagine Fey as most are now used to her: on “SNL” but with a half an hour of potential and not 15 minutes … plus Alec Baldwin in his best role yet, as NBC Universal executive Jack Donaghy.
Baldwin took home the Emmy for best actor in a comedy this past September and “30 Rock” also captured its second consecutive Emmy for best comedy. The show was literally the most-nominated TV show this past year with 17 nominations, many for its inspired guest star roles which have featured brilliant guest spots from the likes of Princess Leia and Jerry Seinfeld.
Even between the wit of Fey and the support of the Emmys, “30 Rock” is still known for its extremely small audience just as much as for its upcoming guest appearance by Jennifer Aniston (in her first network prime-time stint since “Friends”). Truth be told, if it hadn’t been for the great depression … er I mean, the great writers’ strike of 2007, “30 Rock” might have never made it to a third season.
But we, as a couch-loving, TV-obsessed culture have one more chance to give “30 Rock” the fan base and true semi-undivided attention it deserves. Watching “30 Rock” is not a privilege, it is our responsibility.
You’ll have to pardon my high horse above when there are about, oh, a billion more important things going on in the world, but I love this show more than words can describe. The last time I fell hard for a brilliant yet underrated show, it ended abruptly during its third season. R.I.P. “Arrested Development.” At least Jessica Walters gets to live on as a fairly close version of her alcoholic alter-ego as the g’ma on “90210.”
For those millions and millions of you imitating the pageant walk and/or trying to construct your own interpretation of what Caribou Barbie would look like, the show created, produced by and starring Fey will show you just what you and so many others have been missing out on these past two years.
For the love of Alec Baldwin and MILF Island, please tune into “30 Rock” next Thursday at 9:30 p.m.
Daily Bruin readers. You’re my only hope.