Quick Take: 30 Rock, "Khonani"
"Have I not told you about my grandmother fetish?" – Jack Donaghy
Review: 30 Rock, "Khonani"
(S0418) It's decision time for Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin): will he choose high powered Avery (Elizabeth Banks) to be his sole romantic interest, or salt-of-the-Boston/Irish earth Nancy Donovan (Julianne Moore)? He's in his "bunker" in order to make his final decision, meaning his office has been cleared out of such distractions as his bar and collection of 18th Century French erotica.
I was looking forward to a resolution, or at least to some movement, on the Jack-Avery-Nancy relationship triangle, but unfortunately we didn't get that. Instead, the main storyline segued into a late night wars (the Conan-Leno one, for non-TV super geek militants) parody featuring two "late night shift" janitors, Subbas and Khonani. The parody was… a bit weak, which caused the best moments from this episode to come from mini-gags and one-liners.
The subplot involving Liz' (Tina Fey) lame and ill fate attempt to throw a party to fit in with her staff proved to be reasonably funny. It seems the gang has been going out together for years (to something they call Thursday Night Thunder) without telling Liz. Once Ms. Lemon finds out, she throws a party for Cerie (Katrina Bowden) replete with karaoke machine and a demand for compulsory attendance. It all goes to hell in a handbasket, of course, but there's a nice character moment when Frank (Judah Friedlander) and company relate that it's okay that Liz isn't the life of the party because she's the one that solves problems for everyone. After a vicious dog attacks (from another weak-ish storyline involving Tracey, played by Tracey Morgan), there's perhaps the best line of the episode when John (J.D. Lutz) says, "Mommy makes the monsters go away."
30 Rock has been more uneven than solid for a decentish stretch now, and I fear it's heading into a long, slow fade. Same goes for The Office. I'm still watching both shows, but Thursday comedy – and TV comedy – is getting rocked by Parks and Recreation and Community these days.
More thoughts on "Khonami":
Video: 30 Rock, "Khonani"
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Recap: 30 Rock, "Khonani"
Liz is determined to show her coworkers she knows how to have fun by offering to throw Cerie her bridal shower party.
From Around the Web: 30 Rock, "Khonani"
