Jack-Tor
Encyclopedia
"Jack-Tor" is the fifth episode of the first season
of the American situation comedy
30 Rock
, which aired on November 16, 2006 on the NBC
network in the United States, and on November 8, 2007 in the United Kingdom. The episode was written by Robert Carlock
and was directed by Don Scardino
. Guest stars in this episode include Katrina Bowden
, Lonny Ross
, Keith Powell
, Maulik Pancholy
, Teddy Coluca
, James Murtaugh
, Donald Glover
, Doug Moe
, Joey La Varco
and Matthew Stocke
.
The episode focuses on Jack Donaghy
's (Alec Baldwin
) pressure on the writers of TGS with Tracy Jordan to integrate General Electric products into the show, which forces Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) to integrate Jack himself into a self-referential sketch about product placement. Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander
) and James "Toofer" Spurlock (Keith Powell
) trick Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
) into thinking that her job is in danger, and Liz wonders if Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) might be illiterate when he refuses to read cue cards.
tells Liz
and the writers of TGS Tracy Jordan that he wants them to insert General Electric
(GE) products into the show. The writers express their reluctance in doing product placement
s for GE (even though during the scene the cast talk about how great Snapple
's White Green Tea tastes), but Liz agrees on the condition that Jack appears in the sketch. The next day, Liz watches a video containing outtakes from Jack's product placement video, where she discovers that he repeatedly forgot his lines after 142 takes. After realizing that he needs help, Liz encourages Jack to go through with the sketch, which he ultimately is able to shoot.
Tracy
decides that he is going to take a break from rehearsals after he is called back on stage to read his cue cards. When Tracy appears to be ignoring his cue cards, Jenna
informs Liz of the situation, and realizes that Tracy might be illiterate, citing an earlier promo cue card mishap ("The Aftermath
") as an example. Liz confronts Tracy about the problem; he admits that he is illiterate and agrees to get help. Liz later notices Tracy reading a newspaper, and learns that he was using the ploy to get out of work. Liz tells Tracy that she is not going to take it anymore, and forces him to go through with the sketch.
Jenna tells Liz that she wishes to insert a music number called "Muffin Top" into the show, which she claims is a big hit overseas. As a prank, Frank and Toofer tell her that several people are going to be fired. Believing them, Jenna tries to seduce a NBC executive who she sees talking to Jack. Liz later notifies Jenna that no one is going to be fired, and that the executive is actually an extra on the show. Jenna aims to get back at the pair, and although Toofer admits that he was too smart for Jenna's tactics, Frank is seen running around naked outside Jack's balcony. Jenna finally gets her chance to perform "Muffin Top", unaware that the show has already ended and the number was scratched at the last moment, thanks to Liz.
: "Get real kids. You write skit mocking our presidents to fill time between car commercials."
Jack Donaghy
: "I once drove a rental car into the Hudson just to practice escaping."
) always appears wearing a trucker hat with a humorous phrase written on it, which is Friedlander's routine trademark in real life, in this episode it reads, "Hand Held"
In an effort to improve ratings, "Jack-Tor" was the first episode of 30 Rock to air on a Thursday night, which is advertised by NBC as "Comedy Night Done Right". 30 Rock was also one of several sitcoms to have a "super-sized" episode, which NBC employed as a sweeps stunt, and to initiate a mostly comedy lineup. Instead of the usual 30-minute episodes, "Jack-Tor" was increased to 40 minutes. Despite the increased length of the episode, Jack McBrayer
, who plays Kenneth Parcell
, received credits but did not appear in the show, except for a brief non-speaking cameo at the very end when Jenna is singing "Muffin Top". Fey said that there was "such a big ensemble" in the episode that he was crowded out. Fey said that she thought "McBrayer is fantastic", and that she is "planning to use him lots and lots". Executive producer Lorne Michaels
also praised McBrayer, saying "we're very high on him. He's obviously the breakout performer on the series. We like him, the network likes him, viewers like him, everybody likes him."
Star Wars
is frequently referenced in 30 Rock, beginning with the pilot episode
where Tracy Jordan is seen shouting that he is a Jedi
. Liz Lemon admits to being a huge fan of Star Wars, saying that she had watched it many times with Pete Hornberger, and saying she dressed up as the Star Wars character Princess Leia
during four Halloweens. Fey, a fan of Star Wars herself, said that the weekly Star Wars joke or reference "started happening organically" when the crew realized that they had a Star Wars reference "in almost every show". Fey said that from then on "it became a thing where [they] tried to keep it going", and that even though they could not include one in every episode, they still had a "pretty high batting average". Fey attributed most of the references to Robert Carlock
, who she described as "the resident expert". In this episode, Star Wars is referenced when Frank mentions a "friend in accounting" named Lando Calrissian
, a prominent Star Wars character.
' s timeslot change, from Wednesday to Thursday, which was aimed at improving ratings, was a success compared to the previous episode, "Jack the Writer
"; it was watched by approximately 4.61 million American viewers, and only received a rating of 1.7/5 in the key adults 18–49 demographic. Overall, however, the move was thought to be a failure. Joal Ryan of E!
reported that the "sparse crowd" of 5.2 million viewers was a large decrease from the ratings 30 Rock achieved on Wednesdays, where it averaged 6.3 million viewers per episode.
Matt Webb Mitovich of TV Guide
said that while the storyline of Liz being forced to integrate GE products into the show was a "good idea", it "missed the bull's-eye". He also felt that the storyline of putting Jack on TGS with Tracy Jordan was "fun", but thought "that for some reason fell a bit flat". Tom Shales
of The Washington Post
felt that "30 Rock had "consistently and considerably improved since its premiere". He praised Alec Baldwin, whose performance he described as "rare and rich [...] perilously close to perfect, beyond improving". Shales said that it was "painful to report" that Jack McBrayer was absent in the episode, saying he was "the show's brightest discovery", and his "performance has been a bittersweet beauty". Rob Canning of IGN
said that 30 Rock' s was "one new comedy we do not want to see taken off the air". He said that "Jack-Tor" had him "laughing from every angle", and may have "begun a debate as to which character is more fun to watch – Jack Donaghy or Tracy Jordan?". He said that the outtakes of Jack's sketch were "one of the best parts of the episode", and that Tracy was evolving into his own "uniquely hilarious character". Overall, he felt that Jack was winning the "comedy showdown".
Robert Carlock, the writer of the episode, was nominated for his work for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
.
30 Rock (season 1)
The first season of the television comedy series 30 Rock originally aired between October 11, 2006 and April 26, 2007 on NBC in the United States...
of the American situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
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...
, which aired on November 16, 2006 on the NBC
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...
network in the United States, and on November 8, 2007 in the United Kingdom. The episode was written by 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 was directed by Don Scardino
Don Scardino
Don Scardino is an American television director and producer and a former actor.-Acting:Born in New York City, Scardino began his career as an actor. His first Broadway credit was as an understudy in The Playroom in 1965. Additional Broadway acting credits include Johnny No-Trump, Godspell, and...
. Guest stars in this episode include Katrina Bowden
Katrina Bowden
Katrina Bowden is an American actress. She is known for her short role as Britney Jennings on One Life to Live and for her role as Cerie in 30 Rock .- Education :...
, Lonny Ross
Lonny Ross
Lonny Ross is a comedy actor and writer. He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his work as Josh Girard on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock...
, 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...
, Maulik Pancholy
Maulik Pancholy
Maulik Pancholy is an American actor. He is best known for his recurring role as Sanjay on Weeds from 2005 to present, and his role as Jonathan on 30 Rock, which he has played since the show began in 2006....
, Teddy Coluca
Teddy Coluca
Teddy Coluca is an American actor who is currently playing the recurring role of the stage manager on NBC's new series 30 Rock. Recent films include We Own the Night with Mark Wahlberg & Joaquin Phoenix and The Girl In The Park with Sigourney Weaver.-External links:...
, James Murtaugh
James Murtaugh
James Murtaugh is an American film and television actor. He is known for his rich and distinctive voice and was for years the television spokesperson for A1 Steak Sauce. Murtaugh is also a member of the Off-Broadway theater company TACT .-External links:...
, Donald Glover
Donald Glover
Donald McKinley Glover is an American actor, writer, comedian, and musician. Glover first came to attention for his work in the sketch group Derrick Comedy, and is best known for his role as community college student Troy Barnes on the NBC comedy series Community...
, Doug Moe
Doug Moe
Douglas Edwin Moe is an American professional basketball coach. He is most closely associated with the Denver Nuggets franchise....
, Joey La Varco
Joey La Varco
Joey La Varco is an American actor most well known for his portrayal of Simon in the Broadway production of 13 The Musical.-Career:...
and Matthew Stocke
Matthew Stocke
Matthew Stocke is an American stage and television actor. His hometown is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He moved to New York City in 1996 as he began his professional career and educational company...
.
The episode focuses on 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....
's (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...
) pressure on the writers of TGS with Tracy Jordan to integrate General Electric products into the show, which forces 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...
) to integrate Jack himself into a self-referential sketch about product placement. 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:...
) 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...
) trick 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...
) into thinking that her job is in danger, and Liz wonders if 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:...
) might be illiterate when he refuses to read cue cards.
Plot
JackJack 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....
tells Liz
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:...
and the writers of TGS Tracy Jordan that he wants them to insert 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) products into the show. The writers express their reluctance in doing product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
s for GE (even though during the scene the cast talk about how great Snapple
Snapple
Snapple is a brand of tea and juice drinks which is owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group and based in Plano, Texas. The brand was founded in 1972. The brand achieved some notoriety due to various pop-culture references including television shows.-History:...
's White Green Tea tastes), but Liz agrees on the condition that Jack appears in the sketch. The next day, Liz watches a video containing outtakes from Jack's product placement video, where she discovers that he repeatedly forgot his lines after 142 takes. After realizing that he needs help, Liz encourages Jack to go through with the sketch, which he ultimately is able to shoot.
Tracy
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:...
decides that he is going to take a break from rehearsals after he is called back on stage to read his cue cards. When Tracy appears to be ignoring his cue cards, Jenna
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...
informs Liz of the situation, and realizes that Tracy might be illiterate, citing an earlier promo cue card mishap ("The Aftermath
The Aftermath (30 Rock)
"The Aftermath" is the second episode of the first season of the American situation comedy 30 Rock, which first aired on October 17, 2006 on CTV in Canada. It aired on October 18, 2006 on the NBC network in the United States, its country of origin, and October 18, 2007 in the United Kingdom. The...
") as an example. Liz confronts Tracy about the problem; he admits that he is illiterate and agrees to get help. Liz later notices Tracy reading a newspaper, and learns that he was using the ploy to get out of work. Liz tells Tracy that she is not going to take it anymore, and forces him to go through with the sketch.
Jenna tells Liz that she wishes to insert a music number called "Muffin Top" into the show, which she claims is a big hit overseas. As a prank, Frank and Toofer tell her that several people are going to be fired. Believing them, Jenna tries to seduce a NBC executive who she sees talking to Jack. Liz later notifies Jenna that no one is going to be fired, and that the executive is actually an extra on the show. Jenna aims to get back at the pair, and although Toofer admits that he was too smart for Jenna's tactics, Frank is seen running around naked outside Jack's balcony. Jenna finally gets her chance to perform "Muffin Top", unaware that the show has already ended and the number was scratched at the last moment, thanks to Liz.
Memorable Quotes
Jack DonaghyJack 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....
: "Get real kids. You write skit mocking our presidents to fill time between car commercials."
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....
: "I once drove a rental car into the Hudson just to practice escaping."
Trivia
Frank Rossitano (Judah FriedlanderJudah 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:...
) always appears wearing a trucker hat with a humorous phrase written on it, which is Friedlander's routine trademark in real life, in this episode it reads, "Hand Held"
Production
Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"...
, who plays 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...
, received credits but did not appear in the show, except for a brief non-speaking cameo at the very end when Jenna is singing "Muffin Top". Fey said that there was "such a big ensemble" in the episode that he was crowded out. Fey said that she thought "McBrayer is fantastic", and that she is "planning to use him lots and lots". Executive producer Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels, CM is a Canadian-American television producer, writer, and comedian best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live and producing the various film and TV projects that spun off from it.-Early life:...
also praised McBrayer, saying "we're very high on him. He's obviously the breakout performer on the series. We like him, the network likes him, viewers like him, everybody likes him."
Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
is frequently referenced in 30 Rock, beginning with the pilot episode
Pilot (30 Rock)
The pilot episode of the American situation comedy series 30 Rock premiered on October 10, 2006 on the CTV Television Network in Canada, and October 11, 2006 on NBC in the United States...
where Tracy Jordan is seen shouting that he is a Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
. Liz Lemon admits to being a huge fan of Star Wars, saying that she had watched it many times with Pete Hornberger, and saying she dressed up as the Star Wars character Princess Leia
Princess Leia Organa
Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe...
during four Halloweens. Fey, a fan of Star Wars herself, said that the weekly Star Wars joke or reference "started happening organically" when the crew realized that they had a Star Wars reference "in almost every show". Fey said that from then on "it became a thing where [they] tried to keep it going", and that even though they could not include one in every episode, they still had a "pretty high batting average". Fey attributed most of the references to 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:...
, who she described as "the resident expert". In this episode, Star Wars is referenced when Frank mentions a "friend in accounting" named Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
, a prominent Star Wars character.
Reception
"Jack-Tor" brought in an average of 5.2 million American viewers upon its original broadcast in the United States, achieving a 2.4/6 in the key 18–49 year old demographic. The 2.4 refers to 2.4% of all people of ages 18–49 years old, and the 6 refers to 6% of all people of ages 18–49 years old watching television at the time of the broadcast. 30 RockJack the Writer
"Jack the Writer" is the fourth episode of the first season of the American situation comedy 30 Rock, which aired on November 1, 2006 on the NBC network in the United States, and on November 1, 2007 in the United Kingdom. The episode was written by Robert Carlock and was directed by Gail Mancuso...
"; it was watched by approximately 4.61 million American viewers, and only received a rating of 1.7/5 in the key adults 18–49 demographic. Overall, however, the move was thought to be a failure. Joal Ryan of E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
reported that the "sparse crowd" of 5.2 million viewers was a large decrease from the ratings 30 Rock achieved on Wednesdays, where it averaged 6.3 million viewers per episode.
Matt Webb Mitovich of 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...
said that while the storyline of Liz being forced to integrate GE products into the show was a "good idea", it "missed the bull's-eye". He also felt that the storyline of putting Jack on TGS with Tracy Jordan was "fun", but thought "that for some reason fell a bit flat". Tom Shales
Tom Shales
Thomas William "Tom" Shales is an American critic of television programming and operations. He is best known as TV critic for The Washington Post; in 1988, Shales received the Pulitzer Prize...
of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
felt that "30 Rock had "consistently and considerably improved since its premiere". He praised Alec Baldwin, whose performance he described as "rare and rich [...] perilously close to perfect, beyond improving". Shales said that it was "painful to report" that Jack McBrayer was absent in the episode, saying he was "the show's brightest discovery", and his "performance has been a bittersweet beauty". Rob 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...
said that 30 Rock
Robert Carlock, the writer of the episode, was nominated for his work for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series is an annual award presented as part of the Primetime Emmy Awards. It recognizes writing excellence in regular comedic series, most of which can generally be described as situation comedies.Though this category is the dominant one...
.