Into the Crevasse
Encyclopedia
"Into the Crevasse" is the second episode of the fourth season
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
, and the 60th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by co-showrunner and executive producer Robert Carlock
and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller
. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) network in the United States on October 22, 2009. Guest stars in "Into the Crevasse" include Will Arnett
, Caitlin Fowler, Shawn Gianella, Jon Glaser
, and Savanna Samson
.
The episode largely revolves around repercussions from a sketch "Dealbreakers" that Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) had written for the fictional sketch comedy show The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan (TGS). Meanwhile, Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) travels to Washington D.C. for a hearing on microwaves
and Kenneth Parcell
(Jack McBrayer
) volunteers at an animal shelter
.
"Into the Crevasse" received generally mixed reception from television critics. According to the Nielsen ratings
system, it was watched by 6.684 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 3.2 rating/8 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. For his performance in this episode, Will Arnett received a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination in the category for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
titled "Dealbreakers" in the episode "Mamma Mia
." In "Dealbreakers" Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
) doled out comic catchphrases as relationship advice to other women such as "If he wears an Atlanta Falcons
jersey to your sister's wedding? That's a Deal Breaker, ladies!" Liz tried to gain attention for writing the sketch, including being in a photoshoot for Time Out magazine with Jenna and ultimately on the cover alone and a talk show
appearance in the episode "Kidney Now!
" where she dispensed more "Dealbreaker"-style romantic advice. Liz continued to give similar advice to women she knew, such as the wives of Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) and Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit
), but both men grow angry with her for the way their spouses' subsequent anger with them both. At the end of "Kidney Now!" Liz tells Jack she has signed a book deal on the sketch.
with Liz seeing her books and a cardboard cutout of herself in a bookstore window. She shows Mike (Jon Glaser
), a nametag-wearing employee that she is the author but he grows angry with her, showing a quote from her book "If your man is over thirty and still wears a nametag to work, that's a dealbreaker," and he tears apart her cutout. Several other men in Liz's life including Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander
), J.D. Lutz (John Lutz
), Pete, Tracy, and the janitor yell at her for providing advice which they believed damaged their relationships. Tracy's wife Angie (Sherri Shepherd
) kicked him out of their home and he moves in with Liz as punishment for damaging his marriage. Once there he reads Liz's Dealbreakers book in detail and discovers that much of the book was written directly about him (calling his various oddities "deal breakers"). Also Jenna, angry with Liz over the search for a new cast member which started in the previous episode, travels to Iceland
to film a low-budget werewolf
movie.
Meanwhile, Jack, who serves as Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric
(GE), travels to Washington, D.C.
, to participate in a task force on microwaves as the industry is struggling, but he says he refuses to take any bailout money. He believes the meeting will be quite simple and quick, but once there he is confronted by Devon Banks (Will Arnett
) who has begun working with the federal government. Devon reveals that he has spent the last year since being fired from GE in "Do-Over
" working to get back at Jack by making connections in the Barack Obama administration
through a friendship with the president's daughters, Sasha and Malia. Devon leaks Jack's controversial testimony from the hearing, believing that public pressure will force Jack to resign in three days. Jack spends that time asking the TGS with Tracy Jordan staff writers—Frank, Lutz, and James "Toofer" Spurlock (Keith Powell
)—to come up with an idea "as good as the light bulb" to improve the microwave. They try to incorporate suggestions such as making the microwave bigger or making them break down more often so they require replacement, but Jack eventually abandons the project as a failure. However, instead of leaving GE, Jack convinces Devon to give the company bailout money (which he had previously refused), effectively making Devon Jack's boss.
Kenneth takes some time off from his page duties
to volunteer at an animal shelter
. He claims his time on a pig farm will allow him to not emotionally connect with the dogs being held there, but he quickly names all of the dogs and adopts the many dogs scheduled to be euthanized
that day. Kenneth asks for someone at TGS to adopt the dogs and Tracy quickly brings them all to Liz's apartment to continue annoying her. Liz and Tracy go to Jack to finally resolve their conflict. Jack decides that, because Liz ruined Tracy's life with her book, Tracy should be given the right to ruin her life, and he orders Liz to sign over her life rights to Tracy. Jack tells Liz a story about an accident he had ice climbing, falling into a crevasse
. He broke his leg and was unable to climb upwards to escape, but by going deeper down into the crevasse he found a path out. Liz applies this story to her situation with Tracy and stops resisting him, instead suggesting that Tracy make a pornographic film based on her life. Tracy agrees and moves out of Liz's apartment. In addition, Jenna and Liz resolve their issues when they see two adult stars
acting out a scene of Jenna (Caitlin Fowler) and Liz (Savanna Samson
) apologizing to one another.
and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller
, a long-time television director who worked with 30 Rock creator Tina Fey
on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live
. "Into the Crevasse" originally aired in the United States on October 22, 2009, on NBC as the second episode of the show's fourth season
and the 60th overall episode of the series.
Comedic actor Will Arnett made his fifth appearance as Devon Banks on 30 Rock, after appearing on "Fireworks
", "Jack Gets in the Game
", "Succession
", and "Do-Over
". Jon Glaser, a comedy actor, guest starred as Mike, a nametag-wearing employee who grows angry with Liz Lemon after showing her a quote from her book. Caitlin Fowler and Shawn Gianella appeared in "Into the Crevasse" as porn versions of Jenna Maroney and Jack Donaghy, respectively, while adult film actress Savanna Samson
played the porn version of Liz, as part of Tracy Jordan owning Liz's life rights. At the end of the episode, Gianella and Samson recreate an earlier scene in which Jack gives Liz her retainer, though, upon receiving the retainer, Samson asks Gianella "How will I ever thank you?" prompting Tracy to stop production. In addition, adult actress Lisa Ann
played Tina Fey's character in a 30 Rock porn parody entitled 30 Rock: A XXX Parody
.
Carlock was asked in a 2009 interview if the TGS writers were going to be seen more in the upcoming season, to which he replied, "One of the great things about this show and the blessing and the curse is that we have so many characters and so many different interactions between characters that work so well. [...] And so, yeah, absolutely because we love those guys". In "Into the Crevasse", Frank, Toofer, and Lutz help Jack come up with ideas on how to improve microwaves.
Part of this episode featured Jenna shooting a movie in Iceland as a retaliation to Liz, whom Jenna believes is behind the idea of adding a new cast member on TGS, a show Jenna stars in and Liz is the head writer for, though it was Jack's idea to cast a new actor. In "Season 4
", the season premiere episode, Jack explains that the show's staff have become too elitist and need to change to survive in tough economic times, and informs Liz to begin searching for a new cast member to help lessen this elitist image. Jenna is not happy with this decision as she believes that her position on the show will be lessened with the arrival of a new actor. The search for a new cast member would continue throughout the season.
The episode makes several references to the automotive industry crisis of 2008–2009
and the financial crisis of 2007–2010. When Liz asks why Jack is taking a bus to Washington he replies "ever since these buffoons from Detroit took private planes the rest of us have to put on a show," a reference to controversial travel methods by several CEOs en route to a November 19 congressional hearing. The dilemma over bailout money also bears resemblance to federal bailouts of General Motors
and Chrysler
. In describing how he plans to destroy Jack's image, Devon says "by the time I'm done you're going to make AIG
look like the Lehman Brothers
of microwaves," a reference to two notable corporations from the financial crisis. Devon also says that in his search for an organization more powerful than GE he selected the American government because, "American Idol
' s not on until January."
In their attempt to design a new microwave Jack, Frank, and Toofer change features on the microwave such as adding four doors and putting wheels on it until Jack stops the project saying they had "invented the Pontiac Aztek
." While living in Liz's apartment Tracy orders several adult films on pay-per-view
including The Curious Case of Benjamin Butt and I'm-A-Do-Us, puns on the films The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(2008) and Amadeus
(1984). The story Jack tells Liz about the time he fell down into a crevasse and had to climb down into the darkness is inspired by the 1988 book Touching the Void
. In a discussion with Jenna about werewolves, Liz mentions "Thriller," a music video by recording artist Michael Jackson
.
According to the Nielsen ratings
system, "Into the Crevasse" was watched by 6.684 million households in its original American broadcast. It was a slight increase from the season premiere episode, "Season 4", which was seen by 6.312 million American viewers. The show claimed a 3.2 rating/8 share in the 18–49 demographic, meaning that it was seen by 3.2 percent of all 18–49 years olds, and 8 percent of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. Will Arnett received a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
for his performance in this episode, but lost it to actor Neil Patrick Harris
for his guest appearance on Glee
.
Robert Canning of IGN
reviewed the episode, simply saying he "loved this episode," giving it a perfect 10 out of 10 score. Canning enjoyed Jack and Devon's back-and-forth, and wrote that Jenna and Tracy "tormenting" Liz in their separate ways were "equally gratifying." Meredith Blake, a contributor from the Los Angeles Times
opined, "To all those haters who say 30 Rock is losing its touch, I say 'poppycock!' ['Into the Crevasse'] was proof that the show is as zippy as ever." She noted that Jack's plot "didn't make a whole lot of sense", nonetheless "anything that means more Will Arnett on 30 Rock is fine by me." Bob Sassone
of AOL
's TV Squad reported it was great to see Jack and NBC "still being affected by the economy, government bailouts, and Washington hearings". Sassone much preferred "Into the Crevasse" than "Season 4". New York
magazine contributor Mark Graham said this episode of 30 Rock saw the series "once again hitting a familiar, meta-flavored stride, as Tina Fey and her writing staff tried a 'ripped from the headlines' approach and took on recent real-life story lines like the 30 Rock porno". "The return of Will Arnett, the existence of a Porn Liz, and one deal breaker after another: 'Into the Crevasse' had some killer lines, even if it didn't come together in one big narrative", remarked Margaret Lyons of Entertainment Weekly
. In his recap, TV Guide
' s Michael Anthony said that the Jack and Devon characters "really [knew] how to put a playful spin" on the bail out and government money story.
Kevin Aeh of Time Out Chicago said the episode "had some great lines" but overall it "was a little all over the place and, as a whole, not super hilarious." Sean Gandert of Paste
magazine also reviewed "Into the Crevasse," saying it "makes for an adequate, though not spectacular, episode" and that he was disappointed because he felt 30 Rock was beginning to "coast" as a series. Television columnist Alan Sepinwall from The Star-Ledger
was not impressed with Jenna's trip to Iceland, commenting that the show needs to find something new to do with the character or have her quit TGS. Sepinwall wrote that the writing staff have done "better iterations" of Tracy being mad at Liz story angles. The A.V. Club
' s Nathan Rabin disliked "Into the Crevasse", noting that it fell short for its "tired storylines, an over-reliance on familiar faces to prop up weak gags and characters that are rapidly devolving into glib caricatures of themselves."
30 Rock (season 4)
The fourth season of 30 Rock, an American television comedy series, consists of 23 episodes and began airing on October 15, 2009, on the National Broadcasting Company network in the United States...
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
, and the 60th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by co-showrunner and executive producer Robert Carlock
Robert Carlock
Robert Carlock is an American television producer and screenwriter most widely known for his work as a writer for several NBC television comedies, particularly his work with Tina Fey as show runners for 30 Rock.-Early years:...
and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller
Beth McCarthy-Miller
Beth McCarthy or Beth McCarthy-Miller was the director of NBCs Saturday Night Live starting in 1995. She left SNL in 2006 at the end of season 31, replaced as director by Don Roy King...
. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
(NBC) network in the United States on October 22, 2009. Guest stars in "Into the Crevasse" include Will Arnett
Will Arnett
William Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
, Caitlin Fowler, Shawn Gianella, Jon Glaser
Jon Glaser
Jonathan Daniel "Jon" Glaser is an American actor, comedian and television writer based out of New York City. A graduate of the University of Michigan where he performed in the sketch comedy troupes Comedy Company and Just Kidding with Jon Hein, he is a five-time Emmy nominee with the writing...
, and Savanna Samson
Savanna Samson
Natalie Oliveros, better known by the stage name Savanna Samson, is an American pornographic actress. The winner of several AVN Awards, she has spent most of her career as a contract performer with major producer Vivid Entertainment, and is known for her roles in acclaimed adult films such as The...
.
The episode largely revolves around repercussions from a sketch "Dealbreakers" that Liz Lemon
Liz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis "Liz" Lemon is the main character of the American television series 30 Rock. She is portrayed by Tina Fey, who is also the creator of the series and its showrunner.-Personal history:...
(Tina Fey
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...
) had written for the fictional sketch comedy show The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan (TGS). Meanwhile, Jack Donaghy
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He is the Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric and later Kabletown....
(Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
) travels to Washington D.C. for a hearing on microwaves
Microwave oven
A microwave oven is a kitchen appliance that heats food by dielectric heating, using microwave radiation to heat polarized molecules within the food...
and Kenneth Parcell
Kenneth Parcell
Kenneth Ellen Parcell is a fictional character in the comedy television series 30 Rock. He is portrayed by actor Jack McBrayer and first appeared on television in the 30 Rock episode "Pilot" on October 10, 2006...
(Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"...
) volunteers at an animal shelter
Animal shelter
An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost, or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats.Parrots, for example, are the third most common pet owned by people...
.
"Into the Crevasse" received generally mixed reception from television critics. According to the Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
system, it was watched by 6.684 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 3.2 rating/8 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. For his performance in this episode, Will Arnett received a Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
nomination in the category for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
Background
Liz had written a comedy sketchSketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
titled "Dealbreakers" in the episode "Mamma Mia
Mamma Mia (30 Rock)
"Mamma Mia" is the twenty-first episode of the third season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 57th overall episode of the series. It was written by co-executive producer Ron Weiner and directed by series producer Don Scardino. The episode originally aired on the National...
." In "Dealbreakers" Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, played by Jane Krakowski.-Fictional biography:Jenna was born Ystrepa Grokovitz on February 24, 1969 and grew up in Bakersfield...
(Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
) doled out comic catchphrases as relationship advice to other women such as "If he wears an Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
jersey to your sister's wedding? That's a Deal Breaker, ladies!" Liz tried to gain attention for writing the sketch, including being in a photoshoot for Time Out magazine with Jenna and ultimately on the cover alone and a talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
appearance in the episode "Kidney Now!
Kidney Now!
"Kidney Now!" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the third season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 58th overall episode of the series. It was directed by series producer Don Scardino, and written by show producers Jack Burditt and Robert Carlock...
" where she dispensed more "Dealbreaker"-style romantic advice. Liz continued to give similar advice to women she knew, such as the wives of Tracy Jordan
Tracy Jordan
Ogbert Jordan, better known by his stage name, Tracy, is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, based on and played by Tracy Morgan.-Brief overview:...
(Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan is an American comedian who is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and currently known for playing the role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock.-Early life:...
) and Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit
Scott Adsit
Scott Adsit is an American actor, writer and improvisational comedian. He is currently co-starring as Pete Hornberger in the hit NBC comedy 30 Rock and worked in the Adult Swim stop-motion animation programs Moral Orel and Mary Shelley's Frankenhole.-1990s:After attending Columbia College Chicago,...
), but both men grow angry with her for the way their spouses' subsequent anger with them both. At the end of "Kidney Now!" Liz tells Jack she has signed a book deal on the sketch.
"Into the Crevasse"
This episode opensCold open
A cold open in a television program or movie is the technique of jumping directly into a story at the beginning or opening of the show, before the title sequence or opening credits are shown...
with Liz seeing her books and a cardboard cutout of herself in a bookstore window. She shows Mike (Jon Glaser
Jon Glaser
Jonathan Daniel "Jon" Glaser is an American actor, comedian and television writer based out of New York City. A graduate of the University of Michigan where he performed in the sketch comedy troupes Comedy Company and Just Kidding with Jon Hein, he is a five-time Emmy nominee with the writing...
), a nametag-wearing employee that she is the author but he grows angry with her, showing a quote from her book "If your man is over thirty and still wears a nametag to work, that's a dealbreaker," and he tears apart her cutout. Several other men in Liz's life including Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander
Judah Friedlander
Judah Friedlander is an American actor and comedian, known for his trademark trucker hats, oversized glasses and unkempt appearance, which he retains in many of his screen roles.-Early life:...
), J.D. Lutz (John Lutz
John Lutz (television writer)
John Lutz is an American actor, writer and comedian.-Biography:The son of a Lutheran minister, Lutz grew up in suburban Chicago and Detroit. He attended Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, majoring in psychology and minoring in...
), Pete, Tracy, and the janitor yell at her for providing advice which they believed damaged their relationships. Tracy's wife Angie (Sherri Shepherd
Sherri Shepherd
Sherri Evonne Shepherd is an American comedienne, actress, and television personality. She is one of five co-hosts on the ABC daytime talkshow, The View, as well as being the current host of the Newlywed Game and having a recurring role as Angie Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock...
) kicked him out of their home and he moves in with Liz as punishment for damaging his marriage. Once there he reads Liz's Dealbreakers book in detail and discovers that much of the book was written directly about him (calling his various oddities "deal breakers"). Also Jenna, angry with Liz over the search for a new cast member which started in the previous episode, travels to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
to film a low-budget werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
movie.
Meanwhile, Jack, who serves as Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
(GE), travels to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, to participate in a task force on microwaves as the industry is struggling, but he says he refuses to take any bailout money. He believes the meeting will be quite simple and quick, but once there he is confronted by Devon Banks (Will Arnett
Will Arnett
William Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
) who has begun working with the federal government. Devon reveals that he has spent the last year since being fired from GE in "Do-Over
Do-Over
"Do-Over" is the first episode of the third season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the thirty-seventh episode overall. It was written by the series' creator, executive producer and lead actress, Tina Fey and directed by series producer Don Scardino...
" working to get back at Jack by making connections in the Barack Obama administration
Presidency of Barack Obama
The Presidency of Barack Obama began at noon EST on January 20, 2009 when he became the 44th President of the United States. Obama was a United States Senator from Illinois at the time of his victory over Arizona Senator John McCain in the 2008 presidential election...
through a friendship with the president's daughters, Sasha and Malia. Devon leaks Jack's controversial testimony from the hearing, believing that public pressure will force Jack to resign in three days. Jack spends that time asking the TGS with Tracy Jordan staff writers—Frank, Lutz, and James "Toofer" Spurlock (Keith Powell
Keith Powell
Keith Powell is an American television actor who is best known for his role as James "Toofer" Spurlock on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock.-Career:Powell was the Producing Artistic Director of Contemporary Stage Company, a summer theater in Wilmington, Delaware...
)—to come up with an idea "as good as the light bulb" to improve the microwave. They try to incorporate suggestions such as making the microwave bigger or making them break down more often so they require replacement, but Jack eventually abandons the project as a failure. However, instead of leaving GE, Jack convinces Devon to give the company bailout money (which he had previously refused), effectively making Devon Jack's boss.
Kenneth takes some time off from his page duties
NBC page
An NBC page is a person usually in his or her early twenties working in various departments of the NBC television network during a one-year period as a training ground for careers in television broadcasting and entertainment...
to volunteer at an animal shelter
Animal shelter
An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost, or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats.Parrots, for example, are the third most common pet owned by people...
. He claims his time on a pig farm will allow him to not emotionally connect with the dogs being held there, but he quickly names all of the dogs and adopts the many dogs scheduled to be euthanized
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
that day. Kenneth asks for someone at TGS to adopt the dogs and Tracy quickly brings them all to Liz's apartment to continue annoying her. Liz and Tracy go to Jack to finally resolve their conflict. Jack decides that, because Liz ruined Tracy's life with her book, Tracy should be given the right to ruin her life, and he orders Liz to sign over her life rights to Tracy. Jack tells Liz a story about an accident he had ice climbing, falling into a crevasse
Crevasse
A crevasse is a deep crack in an ice sheet rhys glacier . Crevasses form as a result of the movement and resulting stress associated with the sheer stress generated when two semi-rigid pieces above a plastic substrate have different rates of movement...
. He broke his leg and was unable to climb upwards to escape, but by going deeper down into the crevasse he found a path out. Liz applies this story to her situation with Tracy and stops resisting him, instead suggesting that Tracy make a pornographic film based on her life. Tracy agrees and moves out of Liz's apartment. In addition, Jenna and Liz resolve their issues when they see two adult stars
Pornographic actor
A pornographic actor/actress or a porn star is a person who appears in pornographic film. Most actors appear nude in films...
acting out a scene of Jenna (Caitlin Fowler) and Liz (Savanna Samson
Savanna Samson
Natalie Oliveros, better known by the stage name Savanna Samson, is an American pornographic actress. The winner of several AVN Awards, she has spent most of her career as a contract performer with major producer Vivid Entertainment, and is known for her roles in acclaimed adult films such as The...
) apologizing to one another.
Production
"Into the Crevasse" was written by co-showrunner and executive producer Robert CarlockRobert Carlock
Robert Carlock is an American television producer and screenwriter most widely known for his work as a writer for several NBC television comedies, particularly his work with Tina Fey as show runners for 30 Rock.-Early years:...
and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller
Beth McCarthy-Miller
Beth McCarthy or Beth McCarthy-Miller was the director of NBCs Saturday Night Live starting in 1995. She left SNL in 2006 at the end of season 31, replaced as director by Don Roy King...
, a long-time television director who worked with 30 Rock creator Tina Fey
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...
on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. "Into the Crevasse" originally aired in the United States on October 22, 2009, on NBC as the second episode of the show's fourth season
30 Rock (season 4)
The fourth season of 30 Rock, an American television comedy series, consists of 23 episodes and began airing on October 15, 2009, on the National Broadcasting Company network in the United States...
and the 60th overall episode of the series.
Comedic actor Will Arnett made his fifth appearance as Devon Banks on 30 Rock, after appearing on "Fireworks
Fireworks (30 Rock)
"Fireworks" is the eighteenth episode of NBC's first season of 30 Rock. It was written by two of the season's co-executive producers Brett Baer and Dave Finkel, and it was directed by Beth McCarthy. It first aired on April 5, 2007 in the United States...
", "Jack Gets in the Game
Jack Gets in the Game
"Jack Gets in the Game" is the second episode of NBC's second season of 30 Rock and twenty-third episode overall. It was written by Jon Pollack and directed by one of the season's producers, Don Scardino. It first aired on November 8, 2007 in the United States...
", "Succession
Succession (30 Rock)
"Succession" is the thirteenth episode of NBC's second season of 30 Rock and the thirty-fourth episode overall. It was written by Andrew Guest and one of the seasons' co-executive producers, John Riggi; it was directed by Gail Mancuso. It first aired on April 24, 2008 in the United States...
", and "Do-Over
Do-Over
"Do-Over" is the first episode of the third season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the thirty-seventh episode overall. It was written by the series' creator, executive producer and lead actress, Tina Fey and directed by series producer Don Scardino...
". Jon Glaser, a comedy actor, guest starred as Mike, a nametag-wearing employee who grows angry with Liz Lemon after showing her a quote from her book. Caitlin Fowler and Shawn Gianella appeared in "Into the Crevasse" as porn versions of Jenna Maroney and Jack Donaghy, respectively, while adult film actress Savanna Samson
Savanna Samson
Natalie Oliveros, better known by the stage name Savanna Samson, is an American pornographic actress. The winner of several AVN Awards, she has spent most of her career as a contract performer with major producer Vivid Entertainment, and is known for her roles in acclaimed adult films such as The...
played the porn version of Liz, as part of Tracy Jordan owning Liz's life rights. At the end of the episode, Gianella and Samson recreate an earlier scene in which Jack gives Liz her retainer, though, upon receiving the retainer, Samson asks Gianella "How will I ever thank you?" prompting Tracy to stop production. In addition, adult actress Lisa Ann
Lisa Ann
Lisa Ann is an American pornographic actress.- Career :Lisa Ann was born in Easton, Pennsylvania. She began erotic dancing in 1990 to pay her way through college, where she became a certified dental assistant. In July 1993, she became an adult actress, but quit in 1997 due to an AIDS scare...
played Tina Fey's character in a 30 Rock porn parody entitled 30 Rock: A XXX Parody
30 Rock: A XXX Parody
30 Rock: A XXX Parody is an American pornographic film released on August 24, 2009 that parodies the television comedy series 30 Rock. The film was directed by Lee Roy Myers and produced by the company New Sensations, who had also created parodies such as Scrubs: A XXX Parody and Seinfeld: A XXX...
.
Carlock was asked in a 2009 interview if the TGS writers were going to be seen more in the upcoming season, to which he replied, "One of the great things about this show and the blessing and the curse is that we have so many characters and so many different interactions between characters that work so well. [...] And so, yeah, absolutely because we love those guys". In "Into the Crevasse", Frank, Toofer, and Lutz help Jack come up with ideas on how to improve microwaves.
Part of this episode featured Jenna shooting a movie in Iceland as a retaliation to Liz, whom Jenna believes is behind the idea of adding a new cast member on TGS, a show Jenna stars in and Liz is the head writer for, though it was Jack's idea to cast a new actor. In "Season 4
Season 4 (30 Rock)
"Season 4" is the first episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 59th episode overall. It was written by the series creator, executive producer and lead actress, Tina Fey and directed by series producer Don Scardino. The episode originally aired on the...
", the season premiere episode, Jack explains that the show's staff have become too elitist and need to change to survive in tough economic times, and informs Liz to begin searching for a new cast member to help lessen this elitist image. Jenna is not happy with this decision as she believes that her position on the show will be lessened with the arrival of a new actor. The search for a new cast member would continue throughout the season.
Cultural references
Automotive industry crisis of 2008–2009
The automotive industry crisis of 2008–2010 was a part of a global financial downturn. The crisis affected European and Asian automobile manufacturers, but it was primarily felt in the American automobile manufacturing industry...
and the financial crisis of 2007–2010. When Liz asks why Jack is taking a bus to Washington he replies "ever since these buffoons from Detroit took private planes the rest of us have to put on a show," a reference to controversial travel methods by several CEOs en route to a November 19 congressional hearing. The dilemma over bailout money also bears resemblance to federal bailouts of General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
and Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
. In describing how he plans to destroy Jack's image, Devon says "by the time I'm done you're going to make AIG
American International Group
American International Group, Inc. or AIG is an American multinational insurance corporation. Its corporate headquarters is located in the American International Building in New York City. The British headquarters office is on Fenchurch Street in London, continental Europe operations are based in...
look like the Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
of microwaves," a reference to two notable corporations from the financial crisis. Devon also says that in his search for an organization more powerful than GE he selected the American government because, "American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
In their attempt to design a new microwave Jack, Frank, and Toofer change features on the microwave such as adding four doors and putting wheels on it until Jack stops the project saying they had "invented the Pontiac Aztek
Pontiac Aztek
The Pontiac Aztek was a mid-size crossover, the first offered by General Motors, that was produced by Pontiac from the 2001 model year to the 2005 model year. The Aztek was heavily criticized on its exterior styling, with Time magazine in 2007 calling the Aztek one of the worst cars of all time,...
." While living in Liz's apartment Tracy orders several adult films on pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
including The Curious Case of Benjamin Butt and I'm-A-Do-Us, puns on the films The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy-drama film directed by David Fincher. The screenplay by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord is loosely based on the 1922 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald...
(2008) and Amadeus
Amadeus (film)
Amadeus is a 1984 period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. Adapted from Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the...
(1984). The story Jack tells Liz about the time he fell down into a crevasse and had to climb down into the darkness is inspired by the 1988 book Touching the Void
Touching the Void
Touching the Void is a 1988 book by Joe Simpson, recounting his and Simon Yates's disastrous and nearly fatal climb of the 6,344-metre Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985....
. In a discussion with Jenna about werewolves, Liz mentions "Thriller," a music video by recording artist Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
.
Reception
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
system, "Into the Crevasse" was watched by 6.684 million households in its original American broadcast. It was a slight increase from the season premiere episode, "Season 4", which was seen by 6.312 million American viewers. The show claimed a 3.2 rating/8 share in the 18–49 demographic, meaning that it was seen by 3.2 percent of all 18–49 years olds, and 8 percent of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. Will Arnett received a Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
The 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, took place on August 29, 2010, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California beginning at 5:00 p.m. PDT...
for his performance in this episode, but lost it to actor Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris is an American actor, singer, director, and magician.Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., Colonel Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold...
for his guest appearance on Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
.
Robert Canning of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
reviewed the episode, simply saying he "loved this episode," giving it a perfect 10 out of 10 score. Canning enjoyed Jack and Devon's back-and-forth, and wrote that Jenna and Tracy "tormenting" Liz in their separate ways were "equally gratifying." Meredith Blake, a contributor from the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
opined, "To all those haters who say 30 Rock is losing its touch, I say 'poppycock!' ['Into the Crevasse'] was proof that the show is as zippy as ever." She noted that Jack's plot "didn't make a whole lot of sense", nonetheless "anything that means more Will Arnett on 30 Rock is fine by me." Bob Sassone
Bob Sassone
Bob Sassone is an American writer. He was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to Italian and Portuguese parents. He is the youngest of seven children....
of AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
's TV Squad reported it was great to see Jack and NBC "still being affected by the economy, government bailouts, and Washington hearings". Sassone much preferred "Into the Crevasse" than "Season 4". New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine contributor Mark Graham said this episode of 30 Rock saw the series "once again hitting a familiar, meta-flavored stride, as Tina Fey and her writing staff tried a 'ripped from the headlines' approach and took on recent real-life story lines like the 30 Rock porno". "The return of Will Arnett, the existence of a Porn Liz, and one deal breaker after another: 'Into the Crevasse' had some killer lines, even if it didn't come together in one big narrative", remarked Margaret Lyons of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
. In his recap, TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
Kevin Aeh of Time Out Chicago said the episode "had some great lines" but overall it "was a little all over the place and, as a whole, not super hilarious." Sean Gandert of Paste
Paste (magazine)
Paste is a monthly music and entertainment digital magazine published in the United States by Wolfgang's Vault. Its tagline is "Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture."-History:...
magazine also reviewed "Into the Crevasse," saying it "makes for an adequate, though not spectacular, episode" and that he was disappointed because he felt 30 Rock was beginning to "coast" as a series. Television columnist Alan Sepinwall from The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
was not impressed with Jenna's trip to Iceland, commenting that the show needs to find something new to do with the character or have her quit TGS. Sepinwall wrote that the writing staff have done "better iterations" of Tracy being mad at Liz story angles. The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...