"Respawn" is the
twenty-third episode and season finale of the
fifth season of the American television comedy series ''
30 Rock
''30 Rock'' is an American satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live'', ta ...
'', and the 103rd overall episode of the series. It was directed by
Don Scardino
Donald Joseph Scardino (born February 17, 1949) is an American television director and producer and a former actor.
Career Acting
Scardino was born in New York City, to jazz musician parents, Dorothy Denny Scardino and Charles Scardino. His f ...
, and written by
Hannibal Buress
Hannibal Amir Buress ( , born February 4, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, producer, rapper and writer. He started performing comedy in 2002 while attending Southern Illinois University. He starred on Adult Swim's '' The Eric Andre Show'' ...
and
Ron Weiner
Ron Weiner (pronounced ) is an American television writer. He has written for several shows, including ''30 Rock'', '' NewsRadio'', ''Futurama'', '' Arrested Development'', '' Father of the Pride'', '' Help Me Help You' and Silicon Valley.
We ...
. The episode originally aired on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters ...
in the United States on May 5, 2011. Guest stars in this episode include
Victor Garber
Victor Joseph Garber (born March 16, 1949) is a Canadian-American actor and singer. Known for his work in film, television, and theatre, he has been nominated for three Gemini Awards, four Tony Awards, and six Primetime Emmy Awards. He has also ...
,
Chris Parnell
Thomas Christopher Parnell (; born February 5, 1967) is an American actor and comedian. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1998 to 2006 and played the role of Dr. Leo Spaceman on ''30 Rock''. In animation, he voices Cyril Figgis ...
,
Will Forte
Orville Willis Forte IV ( ; born June 17, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Forte is known for being a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' (2002–2010), a recurring character on the show leading to a feature film ada ...
,
Adriane Lenox
Adriane Lenox is an American actress, best known for her performances in Broadway theatre. Her performance in the play '' Doubt: A Parable'' garnered her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2005. She received another Tony Award ...
, and
Ina Garten
Ina Rosenberg Garten ( ; born February 2, 1948) is an American author, host of the Food Network program '' Barefoot Contessa'', and a former staff member of the Office of Management and Budget.
Among her dishes are ''cœur à la crème'', celery ...
.
In the episode, ''TGS'' head writer
Liz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis Lemon is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American television series ''30 Rock''. She created and writes for the fictional comedy-sketch show ''The Girlie Show'' and later ''TGS with Tracy Jordan''.
She is po ...
(
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
) has her vacation ruined when
Tracy Jordan
Tracy Jordan is a fictional character in the American television series ''30 Rock'', played by the actor Tracy Morgan. The character is a movie star whose personality traits and life events are taken from Morgan's own life. In 2010, ''Entertainm ...
(
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Jamal Morgan (born November 10, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian and actor best known for his television work as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' (1996–2003) and for his role as Tracy Jordan in the sitcom ''30 Rock'' (2006 ...
) shows up;
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy ( ) is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom ''30 Rock'', airing from 2006 to 2013. The character was created by series creator Tina Fey, and is portrayed by Alec Baldwin. He was introduced as the Vice President of ...
(
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. In his early career, Baldwin played both leading and supporting roles in a variety of films such as Tim Burton's '' Beetlejuice'' (1988), Mike Nich ...
) uses
Kenneth Parcell (
Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer (; born May 27, 1973) is an American actor and comedian, who gained national exposure for his portrayal of characters on '' Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' and as Kenneth Parcell in ''30 Rock''. For his role in ''30 Rock'' he was ...
) to get over the abduction of his wife
Avery
Avery may refer to:
Business
* Avery Company, a former tractor manufacturer and later produced trucks and automobiles
* Avery Weigh-Tronix, a British manufacturer of industrial weighing systems
* Avery Berkel, a British manufacturer of retail ...
(
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks (born Elizabeth Irene Mitchell; February 10, 1974) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is known for playing Effie Trinket in ''The Hunger Games'' film series (2012–2015) and Gail Abernathy-McKadden in the ''Pitch Perf ...
);
Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney (born Yustrepa Gronkowitz; February 24, 1969) is a fictional character on the American television series ''30 Rock'', played by Jane Krakowski.
For her portrayal of Maroney, Krakowski was nominated four times for the Prime time ...
(
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress, comedienne, and singer. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received fou ...
) has to choose between her role as spokeswoman for the Wool Council and her relationship with Paul (
Will Forte
Orville Willis Forte IV ( ; born June 17, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Forte is known for being a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' (2002–2010), a recurring character on the show leading to a feature film ada ...
); and the ''TGS'' writers are engaged in a continuous ''
Halo: Reach'' session.
Plot
With the fifth season of ''TGS with Tracy Jordan'' over and having been fined for incurring a hate crime against what the council is claiming to be a "Jewish tree" in the
previous episode,
Liz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis Lemon is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American television series ''30 Rock''. She created and writes for the fictional comedy-sketch show ''The Girlie Show'' and later ''TGS with Tracy Jordan''.
She is po ...
(
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey (; born May 18, 1970) is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and playwright. She is best known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' (1997–2006) and for creating the ...
) escapes to
The Hamptons
The Hamptons, part of the East End of Long Island, consist of the towns of Southampton and East Hampton, which together comprise the South Fork of Long Island, in Suffolk County, New York. The Hamptons are a popular seaside resort and one ...
for a relaxing summer vacation. However, her peace and quiet is disturbed when she discovers that
Tracy Jordan
Tracy Jordan is a fictional character in the American television series ''30 Rock'', played by the actor Tracy Morgan. The character is a movie star whose personality traits and life events are taken from Morgan's own life. In 2010, ''Entertainm ...
(
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Jamal Morgan (born November 10, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian and actor best known for his television work as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' (1996–2003) and for his role as Tracy Jordan in the sitcom ''30 Rock'' (2006 ...
) is staying in the house next door to hers and plans on having a disruptive summer full of loud partying.
Meanwhile,
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy ( ) is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom ''30 Rock'', airing from 2006 to 2013. The character was created by series creator Tina Fey, and is portrayed by Alec Baldwin. He was introduced as the Vice President of ...
(
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. In his early career, Baldwin played both leading and supporting roles in a variety of films such as Tim Burton's '' Beetlejuice'' (1988), Mike Nich ...
) is coming to terms with the abduction of his wife
Avery
Avery may refer to:
Business
* Avery Company, a former tractor manufacturer and later produced trucks and automobiles
* Avery Weigh-Tronix, a British manufacturer of industrial weighing systems
* Avery Berkel, a British manufacturer of retail ...
(
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks (born Elizabeth Irene Mitchell; February 10, 1974) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is known for playing Effie Trinket in ''The Hunger Games'' film series (2012–2015) and Gail Abernathy-McKadden in the ''Pitch Perf ...
) by
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and ...
n dictator
Kim Jong-il. He begins to grow very close to
Kenneth Parcell (
Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer (; born May 27, 1973) is an American actor and comedian, who gained national exposure for his portrayal of characters on '' Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' and as Kenneth Parcell in ''30 Rock''. For his role in ''30 Rock'' he was ...
), as he seeks to fill the void left in his life by Avery's absence. Elsewhere,
Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney (born Yustrepa Gronkowitz; February 24, 1969) is a fictional character on the American television series ''30 Rock'', played by Jane Krakowski.
For her portrayal of Maroney, Krakowski was nominated four times for the Prime time ...
(
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski (; ; born October 11, 1968) is an American actress, comedienne, and singer. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Maroney in the NBC satirical comedy series ''30 Rock'' (2006–2013, 2020), for which she received fou ...
) has been made honorary spokeswoman of the Wool Council. Her new employer, Eugene Gremby (special guest star
Victor Garber
Victor Joseph Garber (born March 16, 1949) is a Canadian-American actor and singer. Known for his work in film, television, and theatre, he has been nominated for three Gemini Awards, four Tony Awards, and six Primetime Emmy Awards. He has also ...
), warns her that her relationship with boyfriend and crossdresser Paul (
Will Forte
Orville Willis Forte IV ( ; born June 17, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Forte is known for being a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' (2002–2010), a recurring character on the show leading to a feature film ada ...
) creates an unwholesome image that the council doesn't wish to be associated with.
Back at ''TGS'', the writers celebrate the end of the season by having a ''
Halo: Reach'' marathon. In the marathon, they each avoid being killed by one of the others by purposefully dying and "respawning". In order to get away from Tracy, Liz refuses to pay her fine and is sentenced to
community service
Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always perform ...
all summer. Meanwhile, Kenneth is forced to literally take on the role of Avery in order to make Jack see what he is doing to him. Moreover, Jenna decides that her relationship with Paul is more important than the Wool Council. With the summer over, Liz returns to ''TGS'' and finds the writers still playing ''Halo: Reach''.
Reception
According to the
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
, this episode of ''30 Rock'' was watched by 4.20 million households in its original American broadcast.
It earned a 2.1 rating/6 share in the 18–49 demographic.
This means that it was seen by 2.1 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds, and 6 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of the broadcast.
References
External links
*
{{30 Rock episodes
2011 American television episodes
30 Rock (season 5) episodes