Tracy Does Conan

Infobox Television episode
Title = Tracy Does Conan
Series = 30 Rock


Caption = Tracy falls asleep while on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien".
Season = 1
Episode = 7
Airdate = Start date|2006|12|06
Production = 108cite web |url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/749/749973p1.html |title="30 Rock": "Tracy Does Conan" Review |accessdate=2008-07-26 |last=Canning |first=Robert |coauthors= |date=2006-12-08 |work= |publisher=IGN]
Writer = Tina Fey
Director = Adam Bernstein
Music =
Photographer = Tom Houghton
Guests = Katrina Bowden
Kevin Brown
Grizz Chapman
Rachel Dratch
Dave Finkel
Steve Hollander
Johnnie May
Conan O'Brien
Maulik Pancholy
Chris Parnell
Aubrey Plaza
Keith Powell
R. N. Rao
Dean Winters
Episode list = "30 Rock" (season 1)
List of "30 Rock" episodes
Prev = Jack Meets Dennis
Next = The Break-Up

"Tracy Does Conan" is the seventh episode of NBC's first season of "30 Rock". It was written by the series' creator and executive producer, Tina Fey and it was directed by one of the season's supervising producers, Adam Bernstein. It first aired on December 7, 2006 in the United States and November 29, 2007 in the United Kingdom.cite news |first=Leigh |last=Holmwood |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Nearly 7m watch Cerys eviction |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/nov/30/tvratings.television |work= |publisher="Media Guardian" |date=2007-11-30 |accessdate=2008-07-27 ] Guest stars in the episode included Katrina Bowden, Kevin Brown, Grizz Chapman, Rachel Dratch, Dave Finkel, Steve Hollander, Johnnie May, Maulik Pancholy, Chris Parnell, Aubrey Plaza, Keith Powell, R. N. Rao and Dean Winters. Conan O'Brien appeared as himself in this episode.cite web |url=http://www.variety.com/profiles/Episode/main/171713/60931/Tracy%20Does%20Conan.html?dataSet=1 |title="30 Rock" — "Tracy Does Conan" — Synopsis, Credits, Companies |accessdate=2008-07-26 |work= |publisher="Variety" |date= ]

This episode revolves around Liz Lemon (played by Tina Fey) and Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit) trying to get Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) to make a successful appearance on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien", a late night talk show. These attempts are complicated when Tracy runs out of pills, so he goes temporarily crazy. Meanwhile, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) is preparing to give a speech at the Waldorf-Astoria.

Plot

While giving a blood donation, Liz reveals that she plans to break up with, her boyfriend, Dennis Duffy (Dean Winters). On the way to her office, she runs into Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) who reveals that Jack has "bumped" her from appearing on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and he has decided to put Tracy on in his place. When Liz can't change Jack's mind, Jenna threatens to quit her job.

As the taping time, 6 pm, is fast approaching, Tracy begins acting strangely. Liz and Pete discover that he has not been taking his medication correctly. Liz calls Tracy's doctor, Dr. Leo Spaceman (Chris Parnell), who gives her instructions regarding the medication. Liz gives the instructions to Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) who has to visit multiple identical pharmacies until he finds the correct one, which will have Tracy's new medication. Liz and Pete's attempts to get Tracy to the "Late Night" stage on time are further complicated as Jack persistently calls Liz to his office to ask for her advice on a speech he is going to read at The Waldorf Astoria. Tracy eventually appears on "Late Night" only to immediately fall asleep after sitting down.

Production

Rachel Dratch, longtime comedy partner and fellow "Saturday Night Live" alumna of Fey, was originally cast to portray Jenna. Dratch played the role in the show's original pilot, but in August 2006, Jane Krakowski was announced as Dratch's replacement. [cite news | url=http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-janekrakowskijoins30rock,0,1779072.story | title="Ally" Cat Krakowski Joins "30 Rock" | accessdate=2007-10-16 | date=2006-08-17 |publisher="Zap2it"] Executive producer Lorne Michaels announced that while Dratch would not be playing a series regular, she would appear in various episodes in a different role.cite news |first=Michael |last=Schneider |title=Inside Move: Dratch latched to multiple "Rock" roles |url=http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=story&articleID=VR1117948462&cs=1 |publisher="Variety" |date=2006-08-14 |accessdate=2008-03-02] In this episode, she played a hallucination of Tracy's, which he called Blue Man.cite episode |title=Tracy Does Conan|series=30 Rock |serieslink=30 Rock |credits=Writer: Tina Fey; Director: Adam Bernstein |network=NBC Universal |station=NBC |airdate=2006-12-07 |season=1 |number=7]

Chris Parnell, who played Dr. Leo Spaceman in this episode, has appeared in the main cast of "Saturday Night Live",cite news |first=Annie |last=Barrett |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=What "SNL" alums besides Chris Parnell should guest on "30 Rock"? |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2006/12/what_snl_alums_.html |work= |publisher="Entertainment Weekly" |date=2006-12-07 |accessdate=2008-07-20 ] a weekly sketch comedy series which airs on NBC in the United States.cite web |url=http://nbcumv.com/entertainment/program_detail.nbc/saturdaynightlive.html |title="Saturday Night Live" Saturdays on NBC (11:30 p.m.endash1 a.m. ET) |accessdate=2008-07-20 |publisher="NBC Universal Media Village"] Tina Fey was the head writer on "Saturday Night Live" from 1999 until 2006.cite web |url=http://tv.yahoo.com/tina-fey/contributor/37979/bio;_ylt=Ah959xCzyoM_PeagipGdFJlaz9EF |title=Tina Fey Biography |accessdate=2008-07-20 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher="Yahoo!"] Various other cast members of "Saturday Night Live" have appeared on "30 Rock". These cast members include: Rachel Dratch,cite news |first=Michael |last=Schneider |title=Inside Move: Dratch latched to multiple "Rock" roles |url=http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=story&articleID=VR1117948462&cs=1 |publisher="Variety" |date=2006-08-14 |accessdate=2008-03-02] Fred Armisen,cite web |url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/835/835821p1.html |title="30 Rock": "Somebody to Love" Review |accessdate=2008-07-20 |last=Canning |first=Robert |coauthors= |date=2007-11-16 |work= |publisher=IGN] Kristen Wiig, Will Forte,cite web |url=http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TV-Show-Blog/30-Rock/February-1-2007/700017220 |title=February 1, 2007: "It Feels Good to Laugh" |accessdate=2008-07-20 |last=Webb Mitovich |first=Matt |coauthors= |date=2007-02-02 |work= |publisher="TV Guide"] Jason Sudeikiscite news |first=Whitney |last=Matheson |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=A chat with ... "30 Rock" and "SNL" star Jason Sudeikis |url=http://blogs.usatoday.com/popcandy/2007/04/a_chat_with_30_.html |work= |publisher="USA Today" |date=2007-04-19 |accessdate=2008-07-20 ] and Molly Shannon. Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan have both been part of the main cast of "Saturday Night Live".cite web |url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/736/736916p1.html |title=IGN Interview: "30 Rock"'s Tracy Morgan |accessdate=2008-07-20 |last=Fickett |first=Travis |coauthors= |date=2006-10-17 |work= |publisher=IGN] Alec Baldwin has also hosted "Saturday Night Live" thirteen times, the second highest number of episodes of any host of the series.cite episode |title=Alec Baldwin/Christina Aguilera |episodelink= |series=Saturday Night Live |serieslink=Saturday Night Live |credits= |network=NBC Universal |station=NBC |airdate=2006-11-11 |season=32 |seriesno= |number=5 |minutes= ]

"Star Wars" is frequently referenced in "30 Rock", beginning with the pilot episode where Tracy Jordan is seen shouting that he is a Jedi.cite episode |title=Pilot |episodelink=Pilot (30 Rock) |series=30 Rock |credits=Writer(s): Tina Fey; Director: Adam Bernstein |network=NBC Universal |station=NBC |airdate=2006-10-11 |season=1 |number=1] Liz Lemon admits to being a huge fan of "Star Wars", saying that she had watched it many times with Pete Hornberger,cite episode |title=Fireworks |episodelink= |series=30 Rock |credits=Writers : Dave Finkel, Brett Baer; Director: Beth McCarthy |network=NBC Universal |station=NBC |airdate=2007-04-05 |season=1 |number=18] and saying she dressed up as the "Star Wars" character Princess Leia during four Halloweens.cite episode |title=The Source Awards |episodelink= |series=30 Rock |credits=Writer(s): Robert Carlock, Daisy Gardner; Director: Don Scardino |network=NBC Universal |station=NBC |airdate=2007-03-01 |season=1 |number=16] 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". [cite web |url=http://www.craveonline.com/articles/filmtv/04648653/tina_fey_gets_the_gold.html |title=Tina Fey Gets the Gold |accessdate=2008-07-07 |author=Topel, Fred |date=2007-09-16 |publisher=Crave Online] "Star Wars" is referenced in this episode when Tracy Jordan takes on the identity of the character Chewbacca.

Reception

"Tracy Does Conan" brought in an average of 6.84 million American viewers. This episode achieved a 3.2/8 in the key 18–49 demographic, a series high in that category.cite news |first=Rick |last=Kissell |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Prime week for NBC, CBS |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117955603.html?categoryid=1275&cs=1&query=30+rock+ratings |work= |publisher="Variety" |date=2006-12-12 |accessdate=2008-07-26 ] The 3.2 refers to 3.2% of all 18–49 years olds in the U.S. and the 8 refers to 8% of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast, in the U.S.. In the United Kingdom, the episode attracted 400,000 viewers which was a 3% share of the viewing audience at the time of the broadcast.

Matt Webb Mitovich of "TV Guide" said that "30 Rock" gave us yet another riff on what a wild and crazy guy Tracy Jordan is" and that, early in its run, "30 Rock" is really finding its footing."cite news |first=Matt |last=Webb Mitovich |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=December 7, 2006: "Rural Juror" |url=http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TV-Show-Blog/30-Rock/December-7-2006/700014135 |work= |publisher="TV Guide" |date=2006-12-08 |accessdate=2008-07-26 ] Robert Canning of IGN said that the episode "failed to deliver the comic gold we were hoping for." He rated this episode with a "5 out of 10".

Tina Fey's writing for this episode earned her a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series.cite web |url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/2007pt/59thnominations.php |title=The 59^th Primetime Emmy® Awards and Creative Arts Emmy® Awards Nominees are... |accessdate=2008-02-18 |publisher="Academy of Television Arts & Sciences"] Fey lost the award to Greg Daniels for the "Gay Witch Hunt" episode of "The Office".cite press release |title=Academy of Television Arts and Sciences 59th Primetime Emmy Awards |publisher="Academy of Television Arts & Sciences" |date=2007-09-16 |url=http://www.emmys.org/downloads/2007/pte59emmywinners.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-02-18]

References