30 Rock Respects Our Childhoods With An Entire Show Based On Harry And The Hendersons
Last night's 30 Rock came a little too close to having the exact plot of Baby Mama (I understand that Liz needs to want something for the show to work, but does it have to be a baby? So boring. Bring back Jon Hamm already.) But the episode was redeemed by an overarching Harry And The Hendersons theme. Only this show would choose such a seemingly-obscure but in fact deeply loved movie with which to pull at our nostalgia strings, and it was a smart choice since that movie seemed to have ran on a constant loop on HBO for all of 1988 (um, before you were born.) And they really got it right!
My favorite part was at the end, when Jack is being mean to Frank, telling him not to be a lawyer and to go back to the writer's room where he belongs, because Frank starts walking away like an ape instead of a man at the end, JUST LIKE HARRY DID:
What other show would use a visual inside joke from a 22 year old mostly-forgotten movie? (Dear 30 Rock: do Willow next!)
(As always, you can watch the whole episode on Hulu.)
Posted by Lindsay at 12:00 PM in Sitcoms
Tags: 30 Rock | Alec Baldwin | Harry And The Hendersons | Jack Donaghy | John Lithgow | Judah Friedlander | Liz Lemon | Tina Fey
Having never seen Harry and the Hendersons, I would have felt a little out of the 30 Rock loop if it were not for this line: "Donuts, then bed? What are you depressed about or celebrating?", which cut pretty close to home.
Score = 3
Worst episode of the season. And despite the Harry and the Hendersons context, the whole "Go on, boy. Just go." thing is an easy gag that's been done 100x before.
Score = -11
maybe Brownies will kidnap a baby Liz has her aim set for. only if they use the "we stole zee baby!" line
Score = -2
I love any 30 Rock episode that brings back the idea of working on TGS, (you know, what makes this show unique) rather than just the "loves n laffs of Liz and Jack".
Score = 8
Not as good as the Amadeus gag, but it was decent. Also, wtf was with the Lonny Ross cameo. Was he in rehab? Did he say the n-word? Also, while 30 Rock is my favorite show on the air, unique is a stretch. It's basically a hybrid between Larry Sanders and the Simpsons.
Score = -3
Put down your monocle, it's "unique" to what's on RIGHT NOW: a major network sitcom be about the dealings of putting on a television show. I GET IT, THINGS ARE LIKE OTHER THINGS.
Score = 4
did anyone notice the pregnant girl mentioned "myface" a la barbara walters?
Score = 14
Wasn't the pregnant girl played by Phoebe Strole from Hamlet2? Also, when I was watching the previews for this episode I could have sworn dressed-up Frank was Penn from Penn and Teller. Yikes.
Score = 8
Frank looked just like the guy in Penn and Teller. Is that Penn or Teller? Whatevs. The entire thing was pretty weak.
Score = -3
i felt like this episode was a good example that the writers are slowly trying to turn Tracy Jordan into Meatwad.
Score = 6
I always thought that Judah Frielander was very bald under his hat...glad to know I was wrong.
There was a rumor last year that Liz was going to accidentally adopt a insane nine-year old Russian. I wish they had gone with that.
Score = 0
finally, a season 3 episode in the TGS offices! and no "i want to go to there" or salma hayek! if there had been 25% more scott adsit i'd call this the best episode of the season by far.
Score = 1
I was born in 1981. In fact, I was born 28 years ago this upcoming Tuesday. For Christmas this past year, the best thing Santa brought me was the Harry and the Hendersons special edition dvd. Because I asked for it.
And yes, my sister and I still get Santa. It's a delightful tradition, I will not allow you to sully it with your mockery!
Score = 1
I say they do Tom Cruise's best movie next...LEGEND!
Score = 0
is it really an "inside joke" if they show you that entire scene between john lithgow and harry in the first half of the episode, and then use all the same angles, music, and dialogue?
Score = 2
The best part of the show was when Liz called out the Doors. Bout time someone said it.
Score = 5
I could have sworn the hip pregnant teenager with terrible musical abilities was a take-off of Juno. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Score = 1
Before I was born? I was born in 1986 Biatch!
and I remember loving that movie as a kid, you must have been in your teens or early 30s I guess?
Score = 0