Jack Gets in the Game

Infobox Television episode
Title = Jack Gets in the Game
Series = 30 Rock


Caption = Devon and Jack both aspire to be the CEO of General Electric.
Season = 2
Episode = 2
Airdate = Start date|2007|10|11
Production = 202cite web |url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/826/826883p1.html |title="30 Rock": "Jack Gets in the Game" Review |accessdate=2008-07-28 |last=Canning |first=Robert |coauthors= |date=2007-10-12 |work= |publisher=IGN]
Writer = Robert Carlock
Director = Michael Engler
Music =
Photographer = Vanja Černjul
Guests = Fajer Al-Kaisi
Will Arnett
Kevin Brown
Grizz Chapman
Erin Hilgartner
Marceline Hugot
Matt Lauria
Jean Morgan
Chris Parnell
Sherri Shepherd
Rip Torn
Episode list = "30 Rock" (season 2)
List of "30 Rock" episodes
Prev = SeinfeldVision
Next = The Collection

"Jack Gets in the Game" is the second episode of NBC's second season of "30 Rock" and twenty-third episode overall.cite press release |title="30 Rock" "Jack Gets in the Game" 10-11-2007 8:30PM |publisher="NBC Universal Media Village" |date= |url=http://nbcumv.com/listing_detail.nbc/nbc-20071011203000.html |format= |language= |accessdate=2008-07-28 |quote= ] It was written by Jon Pollack and directed by one of the season's producers, Don Scardino.cite web |url=http://www.tv.yahoo.com/30-rock/show/jack-gets-in-the-game/episode/148835/castcrew |title="30 Rock" "Jack Gets in the Game" |accessdate=2008-07-28 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher="Yahoo"] It first aired on November 8, 2007 in the United States. Guest stars in this episode include Fajer Al-Kaisi, Will Arnett, Kevin Brown, Grizz Chapman, Erin Hilgartner, Marceline Hugot, Matt Lauria, Jean Morgan, Chris Parnell, Sherri Shepherd and Rip Torn.

In this episode, Devon Banks (Will Arnett) finds out that Jack had a heart attack, which occurred in "Hiatus," and decides to use this to his advantage; Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) is still trying to fix his marriage to Angie Jordan (Sherri Shepherd); and Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) begins to see the positive side of being overweight.

Plot

Jack realizes that his boss Don Geiss (Rip Torn) is hinting that he will retire and believes that he, Jack, is a definite candidate to take over Don's job, as the CEO of General Electric. Jack's only other opposition is Devon, who has returned from the west coast, only now with a fiancée who happens to be Cathy Geiss (Marceline Hugot), Don's daughter. Upon returning, Devon, who is secretly gay, finds out from Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) about Jack's secret heart attack. At a gathering at Don's house, the pair face off against one another during a game of football.

Tracy is still struggling with his marriage to Angie, who had thrown him out of their family home. Later in this episode, the pair reconcile, but only if Tracy allows for Angie to follow him to make sure that he isn't having an affair. Jenna becomes attached to her newly gained fat when a mishap during a sketch, on "TGS with Tracy Jordan", brings her large amounts of attention from the public. Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) is still re-adjusting to life outside of a relationship.

Production

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= ]

The "Me Want Food" t-shirts which Jenna and Liz see in the NBC store, at Rockefeller Center, were actually made available from the NBC Universal website shortly after the episode aired.cite web |url=http://www.nbcuniversalstore.com/detail.php?p=43529&v=nbc_30-rock |title="30 Rock" "Me Want Food" T-Shirt |accessdate=2008-07-28 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=NBC Universal Store] Similar t-shirts were manufactured, shortly after the episode "MILF Island" aired. They feature the "MILF Island" logo.cite web |url=http://www.nbcuniversalstore.com/detail.php?p=59176&v=nbc_30-rock |title="30 Rock"; "MILF Island" T-Shirt |accessdate=2008-07-28 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=NBC Universal Store]

Reception

"Jack Gets in the Game" brought in an average of 6.6 million American viewers. This episode achieved a 3.0/8 in the key 18–49 demographic, a series high in that category. The 3.0 refers to 3.0% 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. This episode was the highest rated program, in its timeslot, among the men 18–34 demographic.cite press release |title=NBC Places Four Shows in the Week's Top 10 in Primetimes's Key Demo of Adults 18–49, with "Heroes", "Law & Order: SVU", "The Office" and "NBC Sunday Night Football" |publisher="NBC Universal Media Village" |date=2007-10-16 |url=http://nbcumv.com/release_detail.nbc/entertainment-20071016000000-nbcresultsforthe.html |format= |language= |accessdate=2008-07-28 |quote=Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET, "30 Rock" (3.0/8 in 18–49, 6.6 million viewers overall) retained 97 percent of its "Earl" lead-in among adults 18–49. "30 Rock" was up 20 percent in 18–49 versus its average for original episodes in the second quarter 2007 (3.0 vs. 2.5). "30 Rock" ranked number one in the time slot in men 18–34.]

Robert Canning of IGN thought that this was a "solid episode", and that Will Arnett's character "was even more entertaining in this episode" compared to his appearance in the episode "Fireworks". He added that "there was little to complain about", and rated it 8.9 out of 10. Matt Webb Mitovich of "TV Guide" said that he "preferred this episode of "30 Rock" compared to the previous episode, "SeinfeldVision".cite web |url=http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TV-Show-Blog/30-Rock/Episode-Recap-Jack/800024320 |title=Episode Rec
TV Guide"] Jeff Labrecque of "Entertainment Weekly" asked his readers "do you feel like Liz Lemon took a back seat, and if so, did you mind?", adding that " [Alec] Baldwin and [Tracy] Morgan get the laughs, but like the Tracy Jordan Meat Machine [from "The Rural Juror"] , "30 Rock" requires three distinct flavors. Don't be afraid to sprinkle in the Lemon."cite web |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2007/10/30-rock-jacks-b.html |title="30 Rock": Jack's Back! |accessdate=2008-07-28 |last=Labrecque |first=Jeff |coauthors= |date=2007-10-12 |work= |publisher="Entertainment Weekly"]

References