"30 Rock": Lemon out!

By Susie Hume on December 5, 2008

Last night's episode of "30 Rock" was like a light shining down from the comedy Gods in heaven: No distracting guest stars (sorry Oprah, Martin, and Aniston), the right amount of Tracy Morgan (too much upsets the balance of the whole show, both in the show's show and in reality...God this show is self-reflexive!), and more shared Liz-Jack screen time, which is when the show really hits its stride.

The premise for the episode was Liz's high school reunion, which she dreaded attending because she had been such a nerd in high school. But the show cleverly flipped that premise on its side when we found that Liz had, in fact, been the bully, not a nerd. People were horrified by her return, even the most popular girl in school, who claimed that it took years of therapy to recover from Liz's snide comments.

Liz's story was funny, but Jack's was even better. Jack gets stuck in Pennsylvania with Liz due to weather and, because her town is "dry," he goes to her reunion for the alcohol. Someone mistakes him for Larry Braverman, the most popular guy in school, and Jack goes along with it - and this really made last night's episode great. The whole thing comes to a head when Liz's former classmates try to "Carrie" her (i.e. dump a bucket of blood on her in front of everyone). In the end, Jack saves her and redeems her, but it only lasts for a moment until Jack outs himself as Liz's co-worker.

The supporting cast story of Jenna and Tracy feeling upstaged by Kenneth in the elevators wasn't as funny as the Jack-Liz plot, but it is worth a few laughs. What scene with Kenneth isn't?

"30 Rock" is all about the quick-hit one-liners. Here are my faves from last night (mostly Jack, of course):

Jack: "I wish I had a Princeton reunion right now. Wipe that smug smile off Michelle Obama's face."

Jenna: "If there weren't actors, how would people know who to vote for?"

Jack: "We all have ways of coping. I use sex, and awesomeness."

Reunion guy: "Still think I'm gayer than the volleyball scene in ‘Top Gun'?"

Jack: "Why does anyone go to Miami? For ass, and the burgeoning art scene."

Best line of the night goes to Liz, leaving her reunion: "That's right a jet, to New York Citaaaay! Lemon out."