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The Collection (30 Rock)
Encyclopedia
"The Collection" is the third episode of NBC
's second season
of 30 Rock
, and the twenty-fourth episode overall. It was written by producer Matt Hubbard
and directed by producer Don Scardino
, and first aired on October 18, 2007 in the United States. In the episode, Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) hires a private detective, Len (Steve Buscemi
), to investigate his past; Angie Jordan (Sherri Shepherd
) asks Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) to help her watch Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
); and Kenneth Parcell
(Jack McBrayer
) attempts to help Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
) gain weight by insulting her.
The episode features a reference to Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
, which was compared to 30 Rock because of their similar premise. This is a recurring element in the series, as well as references to other aspects of popular culture. "The Collection" received generally positive reviews, however several critics expressed their concern over the misuse of guest stars, especially in the case of Buscemi. Despite their reactions, Buscemi was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award
for his acting.
Jack hires Len to investigate his past when he learns that he is a possible candidate for the position of president at G.E.. Knowing that the company is looking for anything that could possibly embarrass them, Jack hires Len to find anything incriminating before the company does. When Len discovers that Jack has a collection of cookie jars, he advises him to get rid of them. Jack cannot bear to destroy his cookie jars, and when he realizes Kenneth has a similar enjoyment, he gives him the collection. Jenna has become more famous after gaining weight, and sorts through large amounts of fan mail. Jack congratulates her on her weight, and Jenna enjoys her new friendship with him. While talking to Liz, Jenna begins to worry about losing weight, and fears her popularity will decline. Upset that Jenna is losing weight, Jack sends Kenneth to follow her around and make sure she keeps her weight on. Liz tells Kenneth to insult Jenna if he wants her to eat more, and writes down a list of things to say to Jenna to hurt her. Jenna takes the insults as compliments, and tries to seduce Kenneth.
, revolved around the off-camera happenings on a sketch comedy series. Evidence of the overlapping subject matter between the shows, as well as the conflict between them, arose when Aaron Sorkin
, the creator of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, asked Lorne Michaels
to allow him to observe Saturday Night Live for a week, a request Michaels denied. Despite this, Sorkin sent Fey flowers after NBC announced it would pick up both series, and wished her luck with 30 Rock. Fey wound up "winning" over Sorkin when Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was cancelled after one season and 30 Rock was renewed for a second. Although 30 Rock' s first season ratings proved lackluster and were lower than those of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, the latter was more expensive to produce. The first season episode "Jack the Writer
" contained a self-referencing walk and talk
sequence, which was commonly used on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Sorkin's previous series. In this episode, the walk and talk sequence is referenced when Liz asks Kenneth, "can you walk and talk?", to which Kenneth replies, "usually, but now you've got me thinking about it".
, in adults 18-49, and increased by 14% in adults 18-34 and by 22% among men 18-34. Steve Buscemi was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
.
Bob Sassone of TV Squad said that the lack of the writing staff in the second season was "disappointing". He "love[d] how this show is about NBC and really set at NBC", but was worried about the misuse of guest stars. Robert Canning of IGN
said that for the first time, Jenna's storyline was the "most entertaining of the night". He felt that first half of the episode was "tightly written and very funny", but the second half "waned a bit, with less than stellar conclusions to the stories and far less funny bits". Canning said that Jack's storyline was the "most disappointing", and hoped that future guest stars were used properly, rather than for the sake of having a name guest star. George Freitag of BuddyTV
said that although Tracy was "not as strong as the previous two episodes", he was "still terrific and the nod to his old SNL skit was a nice touch". He felt that the lack of focus on the personal life of Liz seemed to give the series "a lack of focus". Freitag hoped that her private issues would be further explored, as "her approachable yet successful persona was one of the main draws to the series in the first place". Matt Webb Mitovich of TV Guide
felt that the episode "fell a bit flat", and that the season lacked the other TGSers, Lonny, Frank, Twofer and "director guy". He did not enjoy Jack's storyline, but said that Jenna's storyline "ultimately won a thumbs-up from me for her getting turned on by Kenneth's rudeness".
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...
's second season
30 Rock (season 2)
The second season of 30 Rock, an American television comedy series, originally aired between October 4, 2007 and May 8, 2008 on NBC in the United States. 30 Rock takes place behind the scenes of a fictional live sketch comedy series depicted as airing on NBC; the name refers to 30 Rockefeller...
of 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 twenty-fourth episode overall. It was written by producer Matt Hubbard
Matt Hubbard
Matt Hubbard is an American television writer and screenwriter who has worked on many television shows. He graduated from Beverly High School, in Beverly, Massachusetts in the class of 1996, where he excelled in the English Department. He later went on to attend Harvard University where he was an...
and directed by producer 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...
, and first aired on October 18, 2007 in the United States. In the episode, 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...
) hires a private detective, Len (Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...
), to investigate his past; Angie Jordan (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...
) asks 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 help her watch 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 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"...
) attempts to help 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...
) gain weight by insulting her.
The episode features a reference to Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was an American dramedy television series created and written by Aaron Sorkin. It ran for 22 episodes.The series takes place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show on the fictional television network NBS , whose format is similar to that of NBC's...
, which was compared to 30 Rock because of their similar premise. This is a recurring element in the series, as well as references to other aspects of popular culture. "The Collection" received generally positive reviews, however several critics expressed their concern over the misuse of guest stars, especially in the case of Buscemi. Despite their reactions, Buscemi was nominated for 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...
for his acting.
Plot
After their separation, Tracy and his wife Angie get back together on the condition that Tracy must never leave her sight. Liz is surprised to find Tracy on time in his dressing room, although Angie confesses that she cannot take care of Tracy alone, and asks for Liz's help. Angie leaves to take care of personal issues, trusting Liz to watch over him. Busy with her own work, Liz forgets about her promise and Tracy leaves for a strip club. When Angie returns, Liz lies about his whereabouts and tries to cover her mistake, however Angie realizes that Tracy has been to a strip club, and blames the situation on Liz. Angie demands that all decisions regarding sketch ideas be run through her first, and rejects all of Liz's ideas. To solve the problem, Liz offers Angie "consultant" credit, but she declines the offer. Liz decides to fight Angie, but Tracy scolds the women for their immature behavior and he reconciles with Angie.Jack hires Len to investigate his past when he learns that he is a possible candidate for the position of president at G.E.. Knowing that the company is looking for anything that could possibly embarrass them, Jack hires Len to find anything incriminating before the company does. When Len discovers that Jack has a collection of cookie jars, he advises him to get rid of them. Jack cannot bear to destroy his cookie jars, and when he realizes Kenneth has a similar enjoyment, he gives him the collection. Jenna has become more famous after gaining weight, and sorts through large amounts of fan mail. Jack congratulates her on her weight, and Jenna enjoys her new friendship with him. While talking to Liz, Jenna begins to worry about losing weight, and fears her popularity will decline. Upset that Jenna is losing weight, Jack sends Kenneth to follow her around and make sure she keeps her weight on. Liz tells Kenneth to insult Jenna if he wants her to eat more, and writes down a list of things to say to Jenna to hurt her. Jenna takes the insults as compliments, and tries to seduce Kenneth.
Production
30 Rock and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, both of which debuted on 2006–07 NBC lineup2006-07 United States network television schedule
The following article details the developing fall prime time schedules for the United States six major English language broadcast networks. Following are lists of what programs have been either renewed or canceled by their networks, the new programs picked up by the networks, and a schedule grid...
, revolved around the off-camera happenings on a sketch comedy series. Evidence of the overlapping subject matter between the shows, as well as the conflict between them, arose when Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Benjamin Sorkin is an Academy and Emmy award winning American screenwriter, producer, and playwright, whose works include A Few Good Men, The American President, The West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Social Network, and Moneyball.After graduating from Syracuse...
, the creator of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, asked 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:...
to allow him to observe Saturday Night Live for a week, a request Michaels denied. Despite this, Sorkin sent Fey flowers after NBC announced it would pick up both series, and wished her luck with 30 Rock. Fey wound up "winning" over Sorkin when Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was cancelled after one season and 30 Rock was renewed for a second. Although 30 Rock
Jack 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...
" contained a self-referencing walk and talk
Walk and talk
Walk and talk is a distinctive storytelling-technique used in filmmaking and television production in which a number of characters have a conversation en route. The most basic form of walk and talk involves a walking character that is then joined by another character. On their way to their...
sequence, which was commonly used on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Sorkin's previous series. In this episode, the walk and talk sequence is referenced when Liz asks Kenneth, "can you walk and talk?", to which Kenneth replies, "usually, but now you've got me thinking about it".
Reception
"The Collection" brought in an average of 6.2 million American viewers. This episode achieved a 2.6/7 in the key 18–49 demographic; the 2.6 refers to 2.6% of all 18–49 years olds in the U.S., and the 7 refers to 7% of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast, in the U.S. This was a decrease from the previous episode, which was watched by an average of 6.6 million American viewers. The episode retained 96% of the audience from its lead-in, My Name is EarlMy Name Is Earl
My Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
, in adults 18-49, and increased by 14% in adults 18-34 and by 22% among men 18-34. Steve Buscemi was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Comedy Series
This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.-1980s:Outstanding Guest Performer In A Comedy Series*1986: Roscoe Lee Browne – The Cosby Show as Dr...
.
Bob Sassone of TV Squad said that the lack of the writing staff in the second season was "disappointing". He "love[d] how this show is about NBC and really set at NBC", but was worried about the misuse of guest stars. 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...
said that for the first time, Jenna's storyline was the "most entertaining of the night". He felt that first half of the episode was "tightly written and very funny", but the second half "waned a bit, with less than stellar conclusions to the stories and far less funny bits". Canning said that Jack's storyline was the "most disappointing", and hoped that future guest stars were used properly, rather than for the sake of having a name guest star. George Freitag of BuddyTV
BuddyTV
BuddyTV is an entertainment-based website based in Seattle, Washington, which generates content about television programs and sporting events. The website publishes information about celebrity and related entertainment news through a series of articles, entertainment profiles, actor biographies and...
said that although Tracy was "not as strong as the previous two episodes", he was "still terrific and the nod to his old SNL skit was a nice touch". He felt that the lack of focus on the personal life of Liz seemed to give the series "a lack of focus". Freitag hoped that her private issues would be further explored, as "her approachable yet successful persona was one of the main draws to the series in the first place". 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...
felt that the episode "fell a bit flat", and that the season lacked the other TGSers, Lonny, Frank, Twofer and "director guy". He did not enjoy Jack's storyline, but said that Jenna's storyline "ultimately won a thumbs-up from me for her getting turned on by Kenneth's rudeness".