Episode 21 - Emanuelle Goes To Dinosaur Land (1)
14 May 2010
Review
Synopsis: Liz revisits ex-boyfriends in search of a love she passed over and a date to Floyd's wedding. She can only find Wesley who correctly gambles that he is her best bet. Meanwhile Jack has no time to choose between Avery and Nancy because the latter surprises him and spends the weekend. They sleep together and he takes her to Floyd's wedding in order to tell her the truth in a setting in which she won't leave. Tracy wants to take a role in the latest Garfield movie but Dot Com suggests he take on a serious role instead.
The Good: Jack's situation is just about still vaguely intriguing. I suppose Wesley is intentionally annoying and so they have done a good job with that. Tracy's EGOT has run for a while now as has the three weddings and Jack's dilemma so at least the writers have thought through their overarching stories.
The Bad: There was no reality in the show and with it no humour. Liz' parade of men went from one deeply unamusing scene to another. John Hamm having hook hands is just so dumb I don't understand the rationalisation behind it. Dennis was fine for what he is but there wasn't much fun to be had with his latest silly scheme to get rich. And then there is Wesley who is so annoying that it isn't enjoyable to watch. The whole idea of him quoting Chums (A British Friends I suppose) was fake and obnoxious. Underlying the story is the idea that Liz would chose to settle for a guy she doesn't like at all. Not for one second does anyone watching believe that will happen nor does it have any basis in reality.
Jack's story has been dragging on for a while and there's no particular scene that he will end up happy when it's over or that he has gained something from it. Nancy seems like the wrong choice for him because her ignorance of his lifestyle makes her seem naive and unsuitable. I'm not sure that is how she was meant to come across but she has become less charming as we have got to see more of her.
Tracy's nonsense was just as irritating as Liz. Seeing him reel off a list of surreal and ridiculous images about his supposedly traumatic childhood isn't funny. The things he is saying are so clearly unreal and his tone is genuinely upset so the whole story was both unpleasant and humourless.
Comic Highlight: Jack admits he had sex with Liz and she asks him why. "I wasn't thinking, she put on red underwear. You would think that it would clash with her hair, but it didn't." Nice delivery.
The Bottom Line: I don't get 30 Rock, the humour is so childish and pointless and unreal. This was a little perfect storm of terrible and unconvincing plots rolled together.
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