30 Rock“Christmas Special”
Original Air Date: December 11, 2008
PG Ignacio – Sr. Staff Writer
pg@thetwocentscorp.com
The gigantic Christmas tree is lit in Rockefeller Center. The ice skating rink is crowded with people. The stores are overflowing with tourists. Most importantly, TGS is airing a live Christmas Special. What an event! Not really. The entire cast and crew are forced to put on the production so Jack can avoid his mother.
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Jack was on his way to vacation for Christmas, leaving from Colleen’s, his mother, home in Florida. As Jack was backing out he hit his mother as she was running behind the car. After she had her hip replaced and released from the hospital she flew back to New York with Jack. Jack had no desire to be at home with his mother, so he decided the entire TGS staff should put on a live Christmas special. This ruined everyone’s vacation.
ReplyDeleteDuring preparations Jack admits to Liz that he actually weighted 8 minutes after hitting his mother with the car before calling 911. Liz tries to make him feel better about it but Jack admits that deep down, he might actually want his mom dead. The other night when she was complaining about being to warm, he aggressively pulled the blanket out from underneath her in anger, throwing her to the floor and injuring her other hip. He felt terrible, but completely blames his mother for how he feels about her today.
Just before the live show is to air, Colleen confronts Jack about the 8 minutes he waited to call. She figured it out when she saw his cell phone bill and the call he made was at 8:16 and her watch had stopped at 8:08. They both went into a rant on each other, bringing up what each has done to make the other’s life miserable.
Just when the show begins, Jack asks Liz where the character of Mrs. Claus is. He grew up being sung to by Mrs. Claus before they went to bed and she brought them the toys. Liz explains to Jack that it was actually his mother, because his dad wasn’t around. Dismissing it, Jack insists his mother was bad because she slept with the man that ended up being FAO Schwartz. Colleen did that so there would be plenty of toys under the tree for all of her kids. Jack realized that his mother did in fact love him.
The alternate story going on in this episode was Liz talking the entire staff in to participating in the “Letters to Santa” program. People buy gifts for less fortunate children by reading their letters to Santa. Liz goes overboard for two young children, to compensate for her parents ditching their family’s normal holiday plans.
When she delivers all of the gifts to get enjoyment from seeing their happiness, two men answer the door and just take the gifts without saying thank you. Liz is so furious, feeling that she got scammed, she returns to the apartment to confront them, and prove to Kenneth that it was a scam. Kenneth believed those gifts were really going to needy kids. When the door opens, two young children are standing there and Liz is relieved. She tells them that she brought those gifts for them and that actually ruins their Christmas. The children believed Santa brought them those gifts. Wow. “Lemon, out.”
This was a very good Christmas episode. I thought it was a nice touch at the end with Jack and his mother, Colleen (Elaine Stritch), sitting next to each other on the piano singing. My favorite part was when Liz was complaining about the “Letters to Santa” program to the post office worker, she looked at Tracy for help. He got offended that Liz thought he could help because the post office worker was African American too and that they must know each other. When Tracy looks into the window at the worker, he actually does know her.
Even funnier, Liz tries to read her nametag and prounces it Trene (like Tray-nay), but the worker corrects her, “My name is Irene.” Liz Lemon has down that in other episodes to other racially diverse people. That’s classic.
How did you like the episode? Please leave your TwoCents here. Have a safe and happy holidays!