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« 30 Rock
Episode Recap: "MILF Island"
Well, 30 Rock is back, and as glorious as that is in and of itself, I'd be lying if I said this was a super-great episode. Yes, "MILF Island" and the many (and well-deserved) digs at reality television was pretty damn funny, but outside of that, Liz simply seemed to not be herself. Ausiello and I have been talking about it all week, and she was just too duplicitous. I mean, when she called Kenneth an "apple-faced buffoon," my heart sank, so did his, and I suspect even Jack McBrayer's did, too.
I'd much rather have had it turn out — and this was my theory when I first read the breakdown for the episode — that Liz purposely leaked the story for some brilliant reason, a la to earn Jack sympathy from his peers or something. And the Pete subplot, having watched it a second time? I still have no idea what it was about. Even the telephone part was a looooong trip to find out the store was closed.
I did like, though — and thought they should have done a lot more with — the "parallels" between the "MILF" events and the strategizing staff. When Frank first talked of an alliance, I thought we were heading somewhere. And then Tracy with the banana. But then... nothing. (And how do you crank up the heat in the office without having Cerie gradually strip down and thus taunt the men?)
Back to "MILF" — did you pay attention to the footage in the background of some scenes? With the kids riding on the moms' backs, in slo-mo? Loved it.
The bullets:
• "Who will be the final mommy you'd like to... you know...?"
• "Twenty MILFs, 50 8th-grade boys, no rules."
• Um, why would a Page Six story just be getting discovered... at night?
• Deborah and Debra squaring off in Erection Cove.
• Confessional showers!
• Jack touting "MILF"'s combo of "sex, lies, puberty, betrayal, relay races...."
• Liz: "What we do is art." And cut to the farting robot sketch.
• Jack, the most Googled "Class A Moron": "Step aside, Randy Quaid."
• "Heidi.... We no longer want to hit that."
• Kenneth listing for Liz the reasons why Twofer and Frank didn't blab to Page Six. Namely: "Also, I saw you do it."
• Was Kenneth hiding behind an American Gladiator cutout?!
• I'm counting the hours until a stutterers' organization slams the classification of young Jack as a "class A moron."
• Lutz: "I'm not a dirt bag. This is from American Eagle!"
• "One of my implants imploded and I didn't even ask to get off the catapult."
• The "MILF" winner will be revealed "...after three more breaks!"
Next week's episode, I must rave, is awesome and loaded with guffaws, rewind-worthy moments and more. See you then!
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Apr 10, 2008 9:41 PM
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Perhaps my anticipation for the show was so high, but wasn't this episode kinda dark?
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Apr 11, 2008 1:49 AM
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I didn't think she was that duplicitous at all-Liz is, and always will be, a little immature (seriously, fart robot!) and her attempts to get out of this one thing she did seemed pretty immature, the exact same kind of thing a 12-year-old did when it does something and hopes to get away with it. She went along with what other people said, kept quiet, didn't fess up, went along with other people getting blamed, felt guilty...seemed sooo familiar to me, at least!
However, my problem with it was, didn't it feel predictable to anyone else? I mean, 30 Rock's greatest asset is it's unpredictable, off-the-wall ridiculous situations/characters/quotes...and I just saw this one coming. First of all, I could tell Jack was making stuff up when he went on his over-the-top thing about his Class-A moron certificate and Gilly and the basement. Also, the holding out past many opportunities, and then falling for the (rather obvious, IMO) stuttering trick, and than having him know it was her all along...I just thought it was the predictable, obvious way to go, which 30 Rock should never have to travel.
I'll agree the Pete subplot was weird and unresolved or, rather, didn't have a point in the first place.
Also, I loved Kenneth's, "Also, I saw you do it." and after that, "and then you asked if he was single, and he said, "Don't worry about it" and you-" "Alright!" Hahaha, people are so mean to Liz, and she's so awkward.
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Apr 11, 2008 2:10 AM
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Totally agree, it was decent episode but there was just something slightly off about it. I also thought it was dark. Not in tone, but the lighting. Was there some kind of power outage?
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Apr 11, 2008 8:09 AM
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I still laughed out loud alot, and I really totally heart this show--but, it definitely didn't live up to my anticipation of its return. But perhaps I was expecting too much. I am looking forward to next week!
Why couldn't Pete just turn his arm sideways and slip it out? That bugged me, I did laugh though when he called himself.
I think my favorite part though was when Jack was questioning Kenneth and Liz took off her glasses and sat down and just stared at him. It was hilarious, and creepy!
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Apr 11, 2008 8:33 AM
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I'm pretty sure I saw Jerry Seinfeld's name in the Executive Producer credits of MILF Island (in addition to Jack's)!!
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Apr 11, 2008 8:42 AM
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It's so great to have 30 Rock back! I missed it.
Another great line was Jack's about the profitable viewer groups. I can't remember what they were now, but the first one was soccer moms.
The b story with Pete didn't really fit with the rest, did it? It did remind me of this weird movie I saw with Winona Ryder. I'm pretty sure it was called, The Darwin Awards. It's about this guy who investigates the weirdest deaths and he decides to get a job with an insurance company to predict these weird deaths to know if they should pay the people's families and one of the deaths he investigates is a guy who was crushed by a vending machine after his arm got stuck, just like pete did.
Was jenna in this episode?
What about liz saying to kenneth I came here to be number one and said it right along with deborah on milf island. Funny stuff.
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Apr 11, 2008 9:36 AM
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This show is so great. I am so happy they are back but I missed Jenna too. I loved the "reality" storyline and the dynamics playing out in the office. Too funny when Jack had to take Dick Cheney's call and the Randy Quaid slam.
Can't wait to see next weeks show!
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Apr 11, 2008 9:45 AM
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Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate, AAAAACCCCK!
Even though this wasn't the best episode, I'm still SO happy 30 Rock's back!
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Apr 11, 2008 9:53 AM
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Loved all the aforementioned bullets and funny moments, but I think my biggest laugh was the Cathy cartoon thing.
"Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate! Ack!" Head crooked, tongue out. Awesome! 
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Apr 11, 2008 9:56 AM
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Kikiki, you just beat me to it!
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Apr 11, 2008 9:57 AM
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Did anyone actually google, class a moron, cause I did and Jack really does come up first.
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Apr 11, 2008 9:59 AM
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I thought the show was great and I did not have any real problem with Liz's attempt to be "evil". She was, as someone else noted, very immature, but she was also trying to justify her right to get away with something to herself. This is a woman who usually takes responsibility for things, even when she should not, and even as she is surrounded by people (with the exception of Kenneth) who would be willing to cover up for themselves. The part at the end where she is clearly very pleased with herself, having finally pulled off an evil plot, then finds out that Donaghy knew from the start, is great. It's probably the last time that she will try something like that.
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Apr 11, 2008 10:39 AM
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I also caught Jerry Seinfield's name in the credits of "MILF Island". I didn't know he agreed to that on his episode. Maybe I missed it.
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Apr 11, 2008 10:59 AM
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I'm pretty sure I saw Jerry Seinfeld's name in the Executive Producer credits of MILF Island (in addition to Jack's)!!
Also in the credits was Bri Tishman. It took me a second rewind to get the obvious nod to Survivor's creator. I'm partial to the clever little in-jokes like this. It's what separates 30 Rock from the rest of the comedy dreck out there.
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Apr 11, 2008 11:01 AM
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