When it comes to television, I'm a comedy guy. I end up doing a lot of work necessary for my education, and will eventually be doing plenty for whatever career I have, and good comedy always takes a big load off of my brain. For me, NBC's Thursday comedy block is to me what American Idol is for many poorly educated saps rendered helpless to its onslaught of product placement, lame karaoke singing, and Paula Abdul (okay, that one was TOO easy). My Name is Earl is the solid kickoff with good moral messages, and before it ended its run on NBC Scrubs was a unique mix of hilarity, drama, and heart. I don't even have to mention The Office, the consistently brilliant show that it is, but today I do feel a need to mention the fourth show in this quartet: 30 Rock. The brainchild of former SNL Head Writer Tina Fey, 30 Rock has hilarious writing, first-rate acting, expert delivery (Alec Baldwin makes the lamest jokes sound like comedic gold), and even makes us care about its characters (not too much though, or else we wouldn't get as many jokes). Every episode packs more laughs into 22 minutes than countless writers, directors, and actors can get out of a film over 4 times longer.
So why is no one else watching it?
Honestly, the show does everything possible to get you to watch it: it stars acting legend Alec Baldwin, there are tons of promotions for it, and they consistently pull in many big guest stars that other shows with double the ratings could never get. What more do you people need?! Does Tina Fey have to come to your door every Thursday and give you a free ice cream for watching the show? How can America's foreign friends have faith in us if we make tons of quality television but lack the sense to watch and appreciate it? I have personally been telling everyone I know about this show, urging them, prodding them to tune in for at least one episode, with limited success (the people I have succeeded into convincing have seen the show and loved it, which means my efforts are not entirely for naught). Please, don't just do Tina Fey a favor, but do AMERICA a favor, and tell everyone you know to give 30 Rock a chance. Odds are you and they won't regret it.