Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan will be returning to TV screens for an all new season of “30 Rock” tomorrow night. Business as usual, right?
Wrong.
Viewers will have to say farewell to Liz Lemon and the gang for the show’s final season of the show that has captivated audiences for six years.
“30 Rock” is about Lemon (played by Tina Fey), a head writer for a variety show called “The Girlie Show.”
Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) became the new network executive and decided to add the unpredictable and eccentric comedian Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) to co-star on the show alongside Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski), a fame hungry comedienne who is completely self-obsessed.
Liz learns how to juggle Jenna and Tracy’s wild antics, managing her show and preventing corporate from meddling with it. She’s also had to deal with Jack, who keeps attempting to mentor her and trying to maintain her personal life.
The show is supposedly based off of Fey’s life as a comedy writer for NBC’s live variety show, “Saturday Night Live.” Jack is, supposedly, like a Lorne Michaels figure and Morgan’s character is based on the actor in real life.
“30 Rock” is filled with popular and constantly quoted one-liners such as “live every week like it’s Shark Week,” and of course, “I want to go to there.”
The show is genuinely funny and takes viewers on a comical, moderately realistic ride through the production of a popular television show and the behind-the-scenes action and relationships brought forth by the characters.
Last season on the show, Jenna became the judge of a new reality show reaching a new height of fame and decided to settle down with her cross-dressing boyfriend, Paul.
Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) climbed the corporate ladder of Kabletown, the production company for Lemon’s show, only to slide back down.
Jordan continued to stir up trouble and (pretend to) cheat on his wife Angie, who stars in her own reality show. Liz matured emotionally and developed a new relationship with Criss, played by James Marsden.
Finally, last season left off with Jack and Avery (Elizabeth Banks) renewing their wedding vows, but ultimately divorcing.
With so many things going on in the previous season, the upcoming one is sure to be eventful and entertaining.
Little has been revealed about this upcoming season.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Catherine O’Hara (“Home Alone,” “Frankenweenie”) and Bryan Cranston (of “Breaking Bad” fame) will appear to guest star as Kenneth’s mother and her so-called friend Ron, respectively.
Olympic champion Ryan Lochte will also guest star as a “sex idiot,” Fey has revealed to a number of news outlets.
One of the show’s producers, Jack Burditt, tweeted a photo that may reveal a bit of a spoiler for the upcoming season: a picture of Fey holding a baby.
Will Liz Lemon finally get the baby she has always wanted, and will her relationship with Criss be a successful one? Is Jenna going to finally marry Paul? What other antics will Tracy pull? NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt confirmed at the NBC Upfronts Presentation that “30 Rock” will be getting a special one-hour long finale.
Fey told E! News that her goal for the last season is “satisfying to the people who actually care about characters.”
With this kind of attitude in play during production, a brilliant comedienne like Fey can’t fail.
The seventh and final season of “30 Rock” premieres this Thursday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Nathalie Sczublewski can be reached at [email protected].