Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip vs. 30 Rock: The Strip-Rock Challenge
Shows about television writers seem to be like Pringles: I can’t have just one. I’ve been tuning in to both "Studio 60" and "30 Rock" for three weeks now, and I can’t seem to break the habit. But in the same way that not all flavors of Pringles are equally crisp-a-licious, different episodes of these two SNL spoofs vary in their tastiness. So, I’ve decided to judge them side-by-side each week, and select my favorite. This way, if the DVR ever breaks down, I’ll be able to choose which one to watch.
Week of October 22, 2006
60: The Wrap Party vs. 30: Blind Date
In "Studio 60", we got to see a new side of Jordan (Amanda Peet), Tom (the other Corddry brother) and Cal (the guy from "thirtysomething"). Jordan, buzzed with the success of beating out HBO for a smart new series, gets drunk and tries to make friends with Harriet and the other funny girls (Her goofy pick-up line--“I don’t have any friends”– confirms that it’s lonely at the top). Tom gives his clueless Midwestern parents a tour of the studio, during which his mother asks him how they come up with the “skits” and his dad tried to make Tom feel guilty that he isn’t with his brother in Afghanistan, fighting for American world-domination – er, democracy (But nice Tom doesn’t get mad – he gets them a record for their turntable). Matt and Danny, usually the focus of the show (and my favorite characters), were overshadowed by a touching subplot involving a former television writer who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era.
In "30 Rock", we got to see more of the same from Jack Donaghy (Baldwin), Liz Lemon (Fey), and the rest of The Girlie Show writers. Jack, so superbly slimy in the first episode, took things a little too far in a mean-spirited poker game, and Fey’s self-deprecating me-so-single-ness feels tired (in this episode, her character has two slapsticky scenes where she almost dies from loneliness – literally). Jack fixes Liz up with a blind date, Thomas, who turns out to be a hot, sexy, funny, smart –wait for it-- lesbian named Gretchen Thomas. (Have I seen this episode before, or does it just feel like I have?) Tracy Jordan hardly got any face time, which is too bad, since I think he's becoming my favorite character on the show (who would've thunk it?!).
Verdict: Jordan’s lack of friends was funnier (and more interesting) than Liz’s lack of boyfriends. "60" proved that not every episode needs to be about Matt and Danny; I think "30" really needs Tracy Jordan. "60" took a risk and went for the heartstrings; "30 Rock" stuck with the tried-and-true and didn’t get much out of me. I chortled (at Jordan) and nearly cried (at the blacklisted old writer) during "Studio 60"; I barely giggled during "30 Rock." 60 wins!