©NBC
This show is pretty much always in “A” territory in my opinion, so I don’t know if it really necessitates much of a review, especially since it’s not usually so much about in-depth plotlines that carry over from episode to episode, as it is about funny bits and one-liners.
In the season 4 premiere, financial woes plague TGS, causing Jack to make cutbacks to the pages’ overtime pay. Kenneth finds out that Jack still made a huge bonus, and in a rage, decides to start a page strike. Meanwhile, Liz and Pete begin to search for a new cast member, and attempt to hide their search from the rest of the cast by making up a series of nonsensical yet hilarious lies. Jenna decides she is “going country” to help the show, and Tracy decides he needs to get in touch with his roots, since he has become obsessed with money.
Some people knock this show for getting stuck in a shtick of constantly making fun of itself, but I say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The format of this show has always worked, and in my opinion, is quite genius in its execution. Frankly, I think many people are too conditioned to liking hum-drum traditional laugh-track sitcoms to really appreciate a show of this caliber – the same reason that Arrested Development suffered with ratings, even though it was by far the best comedy on network television. With 30 Rock ratings dropping, I once again question the intelligence of humanity.
Some favourite lines from “Season Four”:
“You said there was no extra money. Bonus means extra. I know that from game shows.” Kenneth
“I’m in the middle of a raging period!… of economic turmoil.” Jack
“Hello, fellow human being. Would you like to ask me what time it is?” Tracy
“Are you a large child or a small adult?” Tracy
“Where’s the bar?” Jack
“There’s a bar in the shower that the previous tenant installed to keep from slipping. He still died in there, though.” Kenneth
The mark: A
