"30 Rock" Cooter (2008)

Director:

Don Scardino

Writers:

Tina Fey (creator)
Tina Fey (written by)

TV Series:

"30 Rock" (2006)

Original Air Date:

8 May 2008 (Season 2, Episode 15)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Liz has a positive pregnancy test, and thinks that Dennis is the father. Meanwhile, Jack regrets taking the Homeland Security position, Tracy finishes his pornographic video game, and Kenneth tries to get a job at The Olympics. |

Plot Keywords:

Sitcom | Character Name In Title | Title Spoken By Character | Boss | Sketch

Cast

Tina Fey	...	Liz Lemon
Tracy Morgan	...	Tracy Jordan
Jane Krakowski	...	Jenna Maroney
Jack McBrayer	...	Kenneth Parcell
Scott Adsit	...	Pete Hornberger
Judah Friedlander	...	Frank Rossitano
Alec Baldwin	...	Jack Donaghy
Katrina Bowden	...	Cerie
Keith Powell	...	Toofer (credit only)
Lonny Ross	...	Josh Girard (credit only)
Edie Falco	...	Celeste Cunningham
Dean Winters	...	Dennis Duffy
Paul Scheer	...	Donny Lawson
Maulik Pancholy	...	Jonathan
Matthew Broderick	...	Cooter Burger

Trivia:

Franks trucker hat reads "Slo-Bot".

Quotes:

Jack Donaghy: Cooter, look at this place. This can't be what you want in life. Haven't you ever thought about leaving?
Cooter Burger: Of course. Every day. Every day for two years. Look at these resignation letters
[opens desk drawer, takes out a bunch of filed letters]
Cooter Burger: They're written in ketchup, dirty rock, leak water... But now you're here. You're here and everything's gonna be better. Now we've got pens. Glorious pens!

Movie Connections:

References "American Idol: The Search for a Superstar" (2002)

The Gay Bomb

Despite the shorter episode order caused by the WGA strike, the second season of 30 Rock lived up to everything that had been promised the year before. The season finale, which got Tina Fey an Emmy for Outstanding Writing, proves that no strike in the world can prevent these guys from coming up with a strong conclusion and leaves the door open for several interesting developments in Season 3.

Starting where Sandwich Day ended, the episode focuses for the most part on Liz's positive pregnancy test and the terrible revelation that there's only one man who can be the father: Dennis. Things don't go that well for Kenneth either, since he's applying for the position of page at the Beijing Olympics and discovers his rival gave him the wrong deadline date on purpose (he's supposed to turn in his application on that very day). Jack, on the other hand, has taken a job at Homeland Security in Washington and starts mentoring the young and inexperienced Cooter Burger (Matthew Broderick) who won't acknowledge his office's leaking ceiling or other problems. The only person who seems to be reasonably cheerful is Tracy, who has finished his pornographic video game.

The writing is as sharp as ever, what with all the funny names (Cooter Burger: splendid), witty exchanges and overall insane situations. Acting-wise, Fey is at her best when confronting Dean Winters (still ace), with Baldwin managing the same thing with Broderick (man, can he be funny when he really wants to). There is no time to breathe as great gag follows great gag, at a rate that would even make a prime episode of The Simpsons pale in comparison. From start to wonderfully silly conclusion (a terrific "three months later" scene), it's so. Damn. Hilarious.

Strike or no strike, Cooter remains a spot-on finale for an outstanding season of very good comedy. If one really has to complain about something, there would be one minor detail: is there any chance Rachel Dratch will come back in the third series?