SeinfeldVision

Infobox Television episode
Title = SeinfeldVision
Series = 30 Rock


Caption = Kenneth meets Jerry Seinfeld.
Season = 2
Episode = 1
Airdate = October 4, 2007
Production = 201
Writer = Tina Fey
Director = Don Scardino
Photographer = Vanja Černjulcite web |url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/832706?view=credit |title=Credits "30 Rock": 'SeinfeldVision' |accessdate=2008-03-28 |publisher="British Film Institute"]
Guests = Michal Antonov
Kevin Brown
Oksana Lada
Maulik Pancholy
Jerry Seinfeld
Episode list = "30 Rock" (season 2)
List of "30 Rock" episodes
Prev = Hiatus
Next = Jack Gets In The Game

"SeinfeldVision" is the first episode of the second season of "30 Rock" and the twenty-second episode of the series. It was written by the series' creator, executive producer and lead actress, Tina Fey and directed by producer Don Scardino. The episode first aired on October 4, 2007cite press release |title="30 Rock" 'SeinfeldVision' 10-04-2007 8:30PM |publisher="NBC Universal Media Village" |url=http://nbcumv.com/listing_detail.nbc/nbc-20071004203000.html |accessdate=2008-03-28] on the NBC network in the United States.

This episode takes place in the Fall of 2007, as "TGS with Tracy Jordan", a fictitious sketch comedy series, is about the air its season premiere. Liz Lemon (played by Fey) is seeking closure after breaking up with her boyfriend, Floyd (Jason Sudeikis) while Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) is planning to launch a month of programming called "SeinfeldVision". Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) has to deal with her obesity, which she developed over the summer. Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) becomes Tracy Jordan's (Tracy Morgan) "office wife" and Cerie Xerox (Katrina Bowden) continues to prepare for her wedding to Aris.cite episode |title=SeinfeldVision |episodelink= |series=30 Rock |serieslink=30 Rock |credits=Writer(s): Tina Fey; Director: Don Scardino |network=NBC Universal |station=NBC |airdate=2007-10-04 |season=2 |number=1]

Plot

As Liz is returning to studio 6H, the "TGS with Tracy Jordan" studio,cite episode |title=Pilot |episodelink=Pilot (30 Rock) |series=30 Rock |serieslink=30 Rock |credits=Writer: Tina Fey; Director: Don Scardino |network=NBC Universal |station=NBC |airdate=2006-10-11 |season=1 |number=1] she meets Jack. In his office, he tells her about a promotion he is planning to launch called "SeinfeldVision", a month of programming starring Jerry Seinfeld made possible with footage from his sitcom, "Seinfeld", being edited into programs. After hearing of Jack's plan, Jerry Seinfeld arrives at 30 Rock to confront Jack. Jack and Seinfeld agree to shorten the promotion to just one night.

Liz is seeking closure after breaking up with her boyfriend Floyd during the summercite episode |title=Hiatus |episodelink= |series=30 Rock |serieslink=30 Rock |credits=Writer: Tina Fey; Director: Don Scardino |network=NBC Universal |station=NBC |airdate=2007-04-26 |season=1 |number=21] and a chance encounter with Seinfeld gives her the advice she needs, so she calls Floyd only for another woman to pick up the phone. While dealing with her problems, Liz and Jenna are invited to be Cerie's maid's of honour. They accept the invitation. Cerie takes them shopping for her wedding dress, and when asked to try one on, Liz decides to buy one.

After performing in "Mystic Pizza: The Musical", Jenna has become obese and is trying to distract people from noticing it, to no avail. Tracy has separated from his wife, Angie Jordan (Sherri Shepherd) and is living in his dressing room having Kenneth as his "office wife," to take care of the non-sexual acts that Tracy's wife would normally perform.

Production

It was announced, by Fey and executive producer Lorne Michaels, at the annual Television Critics Association tour in July 2007 that Jerry Seinfeld would be appearing in the season premiere of "30 Rock".cite news |first=Stuart |last=Levine |title=TCA: Jerry Seinfeld Back at "30 Rock" |url=http://weblogs.variety.com/on_the_air/2007/07/tca-seinfeld-ba.html |publisher="Variety" |date=2007-07-16 |accessdate=2008-03-29] Seinfeld had only ever appeared in two television acting roles, since his own sitcom ended in 1998. Those roles were in "Mad About You" and "Newsradio".cite web |url=http://www.ugo.com/tv/30-rock/?cur=seinfeld |title=Jerry Seinfeld Interview |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Braun |first=Kyle |publisher="UGO"] cite news |title="Mad About You": Season Opener – Cast & Crew |url=http://tv.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=534844&mp=c |publisher="MSN" |accessdate=2008-03-29] cite episode |title=Season Opener |episodelink= |series=Mad About You |serieslink=Mad About You |credits=Writer(s): Victor Levin; Director: Michael Lembeck |network=NBC Universal |station=NBC |airdate=1998-09-22 |season=7 |number=1]

The scenes featuring Jerry Seinfeld were filmed on August 20, 2007.cite web |url=http://images.nbcmv.com/photos/thumb/30rock/NUP_109595_0827.jpg|title="30 Rock": 'SeinfeldVision" Episode 201 – Pictured: (l-r) Jerry Seinfeld as Himself, Jack McBrayer as Kenneth |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Haston |first=Chris |date=2007-09-26 |work=Set Photos |publisher="NBC Universal Media Village" Save Picture as → Right click file → Properties → Summary → Advanced → Date Picture Taken] The title of the episode is a play on the title of the 1990s sitcom "Seinfeld" and the word television. Seinfeld wore a wig in the episode to make him look more like the character version of Jerry Seinfeld. Upon first wearing the wig, Seinfeld said "This looks weird," but his wife assured him that "That's what [he] looked like [in "Seinfeld"] ."cite web |url=http://www.buddytv.com/articles/30-rock/tina-fey-talks-about-jerry-sei-11216.aspx |title=Tina Fey Talks About Jerry Seinfeld's Guest Stint on "30 Rock" |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Claustro |first=Lisa |date=2007-09-20 |publisher="BuddyTV"] This episode effectively ended the story arc of Liz's relationship with Floyd, which began mid-way through season one.cite episode |title=Up All Night |series=30 Rock |serieslink=30 Rock |credits=Writer: Tina Fey; Director: Michael Engler |network=NBC Universal |station=NBC |airdate=2007-02-08 |season=1 |number=13] There was a joke in this episode in which Cerie's surname was revealed as Xerox, a reference to the Xerox Corporation, but the joke was cut.cite web |url=http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/detail/index.jsp?uuid=8af9b8c0-fbde-4b8b-8353-237b3c459a8e |title=Exclusive! "30 Rock" Scores Will Arnett, Chris Kattan and Mariah Carey (in Our Dreams) |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Dos Santos |first=Kristin |coauthors=Godwin, Jennifer |authorlink=Kristin Dos Santos |date=2008-03-08 |publisher="E!"] This is the first episode in which Katrina Bowden (as Cerie Xerox), Keith Powell (James "Toofer" Spurlock) and Lonny Ross (Josh Girard) receive star billing. [cite web |url=http://www.nbcumv.com/entertainment/program_detail.nbc/30rock.html |title="30 Rock"; Thursdays on NBC (8:30-9PM ET); Season Premiere: Thursday, October 4 |accessdate=2007-10-14 |publisher="NBC Universal Media Village"]

Reception

"SeinfeldVision" brought in an average of 7.33 million American viewers,cite web |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117973599.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&query=30+rock+ratings+premiere |title="Friday Night Lights" Lights up NBC |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Kissell |first=Rick |date=2007-10-07 |publisher="Variety"] cite press release |title=Weekly Program Rankings (Week of 10/1) |publisher="ABC Medianet" |date=2007-10-09 |url=http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/progcal/dispDNR.aspx?id=100907_06 |accessdate=2008-03-29] making "30 Rock" the sixtieth most watched series of the week. This episode was the second highest rated episode of the series, after "Pilot," which garnered 8.13 million viewers.cite news |first=Rick |last=Kissell |title=NBC's "Rock" Solid in Premiere |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117951807.html?categoryid=1275&cs=1&query=30+rock+3%2E2 |publisher="Variety" |date=2006-10-12 |accessdate=2008-02-27] This episode achieved a 3.4/9 in the key 18–49 demographic, a series high in that category. The 3.4 refers to 3.4% of all 18–49 years olds in the U.S. and the 9 refers to 9% of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast, in the U.S.

Jeff Labrecque of "Entertainment Weekly" wrote that "SeinfeldVision" was a clever and ironic way to incorporate [Jerry] Seinfeld."cite web |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2007/10/mini-tv-watch-3.html |title="30 Rock": Pull Yourself Together, Man |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Labrecque |first=Jeff |date=2007-10-05 |publisher="Entertainment Weekly"] Matt Webb Mitovich of "TV Guide" said that " ['SeinfeldVision'] was a solid start to the new, fought-for season" and that it did have "some great, great moments." Despite this praise, Webb Mitovich criticised Kenneth and Tracy's "office wife" storyline saying that "we've seen this shtick before on countless other sitcoms, so it was a bit empty and filled with 'easy' jokes." Criticism was also received regarding the "striped outfit... it didn't work. No," referring to a joke involving Jenna trying to distract the "TGS" writers from her newly gained weight.cite web |url=http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TV-Show-Blog/30-Rock/Episode-Recap-Seinfeldvision/800023766 |title=Episode Rec
TV Guide"] Lisa Schmeiser of "Television Without Pity" graded this episode as a "B+."cite web |url=http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/Shows/30-Rock/Stories/SeinfeldVision?currentPage=1 |title='SeinfeldVision' |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Schmeiser |first=Lisa |date=2007-10-05 |publisher="Television Without Pity"] Rick Porter of "Zap2it" thought that this episode "started off ["30 Rock"'s] second season on a pretty strong note." Porter said that this episode wasn't the best episode of "30 Rock" but it was still "one of the sharpest and wittiest comedies on television."cite web |url=http://blog.zap2it.com/ithappenedlastnight/2007/10/30-rock-now-in-.html |title="30 Rock," now in 'SeinfeldVision'! |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Porter |first=Rick |date=2007-10-04 |publisher="Zap2it"] Bob Sassone of AOL's "TV Squad" wrote that "SeinfeldVision" "was a really funny beginning to the second season." Sassone also notes that the appearance of Seinfeld did not feel like stunt casting. He also said that the joke about Jerry being able to buy NBC for $4 million was "one of the many reasons [he, Sassone, loves] this show."cite web |url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/10/04/30-rock-seinfeldvision-season-premiere/ |title="30 Rock": 'SeinfeldVision' (Season Premiere) |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Sassone |first=Bob
first=Bob |last=Sassone |authorlink=Bob Sassone |date=2007-10-04 |publisher=AOL's "TV Squad"] Rob Owen of the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" wrote that this episode "proves the low-rated show's best comedy Emmy win was no undeserved fluke."cite web |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07277/822563-237.stm |title=TV Review: "30 Rock" Rolls with Smart Commentary |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Owen |first=Rob |date=2007-10-04 |publisher="Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"] Alan Sepinwall of "The Star-Ledger" described this episode as "really funny" and thought that "everyone is played in a style that's believable within [the series] ."cite web |url=http://blog.nj.com/alltv/2007/10/30_rock_baby_got_front.html |title="30 Rock": Baby Got Front |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Sepinwall |first=Alan |date=2007-10-04 |publisher="The Star-Ledger"] Linda Stasi of "The New York Post" said that "the on-going story of the regulars that had me laughing so hard I almost fell out of bed."cite web |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/10042007/tv/what_a_deal_.htm |title=What a 'Deal'! |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Stasi |first=Linda |date=2007-10-04 |publisher="The New York Post"] Jake Brooks of "The New York Observer" thought that this episode was "a rather poor 22 minutes of television (well, only [Jerry Seinfeld's] portion of it, the rest was pretty great)."cite web |url=http://www.observer.com/2007/was-seinfelds-stint-30-rocks-way-jumping-shark |title=Was Seinfeld's Stint "30 Rock"'s Way of Jumping the Shark? |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Brooks |first=Jake |date=2007-10-05 |publisher="The New York Observer"] Robert Canning of "IGN" said that "30 Rock" delivers a fantastic episode to open the season. Let's hope they can also deliver an audience to keep this great show on the air." Canning also awarded this episode a rating of 9.4 out of 10.cite web |url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/824/824655p1.html |title="30 Rock": 'SeinfeldVision' Advance Review |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Canning |first=Robert |date=2007-10-03 |publisher="IGN"] Brian Lowry of "Variety" said that it "neatly highlights this series' strengths and weaknesses, elevated by moments of inspiration and Alec Baldwin's brilliance and leavened by considerably-less-flattering silliness."cite web |url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934965.html?categoryid=32&cs=1&p=0 |title="30 Rock" (Series – NBC, Thurs. Oct. 4, 8:30PM) |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Lowry |first=Brian |date=2007-10-03 |publisher="Variety"] Alessandra Stanley of "The New York Times" thought that "SeinfeldVision" "is mostly a reminder that even the most talented actors and writers sometimes slip under pressure."cite web |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D01E0DE1F3EF937A35753C1A9619C8B63&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss |title="30 Rock" and "Grey's Anatomy"; Sophomore Jitters and 'SeinfeldVision' |accessdate=2008-03-29 |last=Stanley |first=Alessandra |date=2007-10-04 |publisher="The New York Times"] Seinfeld was criticized as using his appearance in this episode as a plug for his upcoming feature film "Bee Movie". Seinfeld, NBC and General Electric stated that this was done as metahumor. [cite news |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN0243829420071003 |title=Seinfeld Plugs Own Movie in "30 Rock" Guest Spot |accessdate=2007-12-23 |last=Gorman |first=Steve |date=2007-10-03 |publisher="Reuters"]

References

External links

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