Deadly Furniture

Unless you are very, very lucky (read: M*A*S*H), every show eventually reaches a point where it just needs to die. In some cases, actors trying to make it big in the movies results in a somewhat failed re-imagining/introduction of new characters. On one level this works, but it ultimately leaves you yearning for the good ol’ days and wishing the show had never been tarnished past recognition (read: The X-Files and The West Wing). Other shows just run out of steam and slowly begin to self-implode until viewers watch it more out of a sense of obligation than out of any real enjoyment (read: The Office).

So it is with 30 Rock. While it’s lead-in The Office has rallied this year after the realization that their lead is about to leave them forever/until the series finale (so look for him next spring) and they are more than likely doomed, 30 Rock has slowly drifted into a state of pure sleep-inducing nothingness. Harsh? I don’t think so. Everything about the show either has a sense of staleness or a forced humor/stunt casting that has managed to make even the announced inclusion of Tom Hanks yawn-worthy. And we all know how much I love me my Tom Hanks.

But what about the one-liners? They’re what 30 Rock is all about Rebecca! Sure, every so often there’s a good joke here and there but these moments are becoming fewer and farther in-between. Compare them to the snappy dialogue of Community or the genius that Parks and Recreation has become and they’re small stuff. But, you may say, this is Liz Lemon we’re talking about! We love her! But do we anymore? Sure, Tina Fey is great and I loved her characterization of Liz Lemon back in 30 Rock’s glory days, but now it’s all just “been here, done that.” Eventually, I want my characters to grow at least a little and Liz Lemon has instead gone backwards until all she is anymore is an unhappy, single woman who works a lot and makes an avoidable mess of her personal life. Alec Baldwin is great but besides the birth of a daughter (right, remember that happened? Don’t worry, she might be back for the finale. Or at least get mentioned. Look for a picture.) there’s nothing that’s really there for me anymore. Kenneth has only grown more and more disturbing as the jokes have grown less funny, to be truthful I’ve never liked Tracy Jordan/Morgan/too bored even to look up which one is his real name, and don’t even get me started on the horror show that is Jenna’s weird thing with SNL guy (I shudder even when I think about it.)

Needless to say, as a fan of the show when it was good, all I can hope is that Wesley Snipes (Michael Sheen) will ride in on his foot cycle and the two settling-soul mates will realize that they’re actually more than that. Alec Baldwin can finally remember he has a child, Kenneth will graduate beyond page, Jenna and Tracy will disappear, and we can end the series with at least a little dignity.

Will it happen? Never. This show (for reasons beyond me) is still getting nominated for awards (although we can all agree that this year is Steve’s or Hollywood has no soul. Oh wait….) while Community/Parks and Recreation and other very deserving comedies are left with little to no love. Even if Baldwin leaves the show, we all know they’ll just try to fill the emptiness with some other big-name actor. Or maybe they’ll learn their lesson from the horribleness that The Office is about to become. Somehow I doubt it.

Note: I’m not saying all the episodes this season have been terrible. “Double Edged Sword” was actually terrific. But nothing before/since has even come close to living up to it. That’s a problem.