Episode 313 – “Goodbye, My Friend”
Forgive me, “30 Rock” fans. I thought the highly anticipated March 5th episode of “30 Rock” seemed a little, well, derivative. Don’t get me wrong, the laughs were there, but couldn’t they have cast a teenager who didn’t look so much like Ellen Page in “Juno”? Just asking.
The episode was a study in classic mommy and daddy issues, with Liz, Jack and Frank exploring these parental yearnings to an extreme. For Liz, the adoption process has been frustrating so when she encounters a pregnant teen working behind the counter at the local donut store, she sees an opportunity. It turns out that Becca, the pregnant teen, is fighting with her boyfriend and she’s confused about what to do with the baby. Liz is intrigued. She befriends Becca over a chocolate frosted and skim milk and secretly begins moving in to adopt the baby.
While Elisa is in Puerto Rico, Jack looks to spend time in places where he can’t be distracted. So he joins the TGS writers – Lutz, Twofer, Josh and Frank – at a local bar. After a few pitchers of beer, they’re invited to Jack’s apartment for movie night, featuring “Harry and the Hendersons”! Maybe it’s the beer, or maybe it’s the movie: Jack and Frank bond over their shared interpretation of why the John Lithgow character forces Harry the legendary North American forest ape to leave their human family. You see, both had similar experiences of abandonment with their own fathers.
Jenna’s birthday is coming up and lately she’s been clamoring for attention so Pete suggests they throw her birthday party. It’s a fine idea until Kenneth learns that Tracy has never celebrated a birthday because he apparently doesn’t have a date of birth:
Tracy: “I don’t have a birth certificate because I was born inside of Yankee Stadium. I bounced around foster families so much, no one bothered to throw me a birthday party.”
Kenneth: “But even prisoners have birthday parties. I saw one on ‘Oz.’ It was… interesting.”
Kenneth, ever the do-gooder, appeals to Jenna to allow Tracy’s birthday celebration to be combined with hers. She agrees unenthusiastically with a reluctant squeal.
Jack decides to take his new friendship with Frank to the next level, by helping him achieve his dream of becoming a lawyer. He’s made some phone calls, and has secured a full scholarship to Columbia Law School: “Make your mother proud, Frank. Make your father hate any new children he might have.”
Speaking of squealing, Liz hires Becca as the show’s “Youth Consultant,” and has a musical talent, too. Her lyrics about “cobwebs of rainbows” bring tears to Liz’s eyes. She believes her false encouragement will lead Becca to pursue a performing career and give up the baby to Liz.
The Tracy/Jenna surprise birthday party is getting off to a great start. Tracy arrives first, and feels the love from his crew:
Tracy: “But I don’t have a birthday!”
Kenneth: “But you do now ‘cause we all love you. And we wanted you to feel this joy.”
Tracy: (Voice breaking-up) “I do feel it. You are all so amazing. And to think I was just calling y’all a bunch of racists!”
Jenna’s arrival is pre-empted by Frank, who shares his news (and a new corporate look) about going to law school. Shortly afterwards, Cerie excitedly tells the group that her father has bought tickets for everyone for the Yankee’s opening day game. Poor Jenna! Not even a back brace will help her draw the attention she craves! Later, Jenna, now in a back brace and wheelchair, is enlisted by Kenneth and DotComm to help think of what Tracy’s birthday wishes would have been, if the party hadn’t been interrupted. They narrowed it down to: own a Robocop, hunt the elephant that paints, or breakfast in bed. It turns out that Tracy’s wish was actually for Jenna to get better! It’s birthday miracle, and Jenna and Tracy embrace like old friends.
To celebrate Frank’s new course in life, he invites Jack to his mom’s for a home-cooked Italian dinner. Jack expects to be welcomed like a hero, but instead Frank’s mom (played by guest Patti LuPone) gives him a double-slap. It turns out that every Rositano man pursued a career as a lawyer – for the mob – and the last thing Mama Rositano wants for her Francis is for him to go into the family line of work. She tells Jack to “fix the mess.” Later Jack reenacts that emotional final scene from “Harry Hendersons” and tells Frank that he has to go back to where he belongs – the Writer’s Room.
He gives Liz the same advice, too, when she tries to ambush Tim, Becca’s boyfriend:
Liz: “I’m the one that’s been there for Becca, for almost two days. This Tim guy is totally washed!”
Jack: “Lemon, there was once a great American called George Henderson. He met a woodland ape, or Sasquatch, and despite its dangerous message of environmentalism, became his friend. When the time came to do the hard thing and send it back into the forest where it belonged, and birds could perch on its shoulder because it was gentle, George Henderson summoned the strength and, by God, he did it. Did it hurt? You bet it hurt. Like a bastard. But he did it because it was the right thing to do. For the woodland ape. You think about that.
Liz finds Tim and she sees the light. She tells Tim to nut up and get a job and help raise that kid. She brings him to Becca, and it’s rainbows and cobwebs and big pregnant lady boobs.
Oh, I forgot to mention the brief John Lithgow guest appearance. He plays his harried self, trying to get to the Sci Fi Network’s offices. The episode was nice homage to George Henderson, but I wish they had cast Lithgow in a funnier role.
March 7th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I agree here — not my favorite episode this week.
March 9th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I thought the analogy with Harry & the Hendersons was funny and very clever. I’m glad it ended well, with the girl and her boyfriend getting back together because I was concerned somehow Liz would become very selfish and obsessed with adopting her baby and then Liz’s character would have been less likable.
I liked when they re-created letting Harry go back to the woods. Thought that was a comic way to handle getting Liz to let go.
In making fun of Jenna’s self-absorption, they actually encouraged some sympathy for her, I think. It was pretty sad how they so completely forgot her birthday, even with her name on the cake etc. Or maybe they’re just so sick of her, it didn’t take much to distract them…
I still think 30 Rock is comic genius.
Here’s an idea: Liz and Jenna at a concert. They run down to the front of the stage – Liz loved that group when she was in high school. Let’s call the group “Illinois”. She just wants an autograph, but apparently they’re scoping out for women to invite to the party afterwards. They look right over adoring fan Liz and invite Jenna back, who didn’t even know who “Illinois” was.
Not sure where I got the inspiration for that story line!! : )