Black Light Attack!
Encyclopedia
"Black Light Attack!" is the tenth episode of the fourth season
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
, and the 68th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by Steve Hely
and directed by series producer Don Scardino
. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) in the United States on January 14, 2010. Guest stars in this episode include Dr. Sanjay Gupta
and Cheyenne Jackson
.
In the episode, TGS with Tracy Jordan head writer Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) and new cast member Danny Baker (Jackson) further their relationship, while their boss Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) becomes jealous and plans to break them apart. Meanwhile, movie star Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) recruits TGS writer Sue Laroche-Van der Hout (Sue Galloway) into his entourage, and Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
) auditions for a role on Gossip Girl
. This episode was Jackson's third appearance as Danny.
"Black Light Attack!" received generally mixed reception from television critics. According to the Nielsen ratings
system, it was watched by 5.014 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.3 rating/6 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. Its rating constituted a 30 percent drop from the December 2009 episode "Secret Santa
". For her performance in this episode, Jane Krakowski received a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination in the category for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
) admits to his boss, Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
), that he has been having an office romance but will not disclose the woman's name. While in attendance at a New York Knicks
game, Jack asks more about the woman Danny is seeing and Danny reveals details, such as she has never let a man see her feet. This results in Jack's realization that the woman is the show's head writer, Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
), and he is displeased.
Meanwhile, actress Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
) auditions for a role she believes is for a college freshman on Gossip Girl
. At the audition, Jenna learns that she is actually booked to audition for the role of the college freshman's mother. She panics, believing that this is a sign that she is no longer young, and in an attempt to reclaim her youth, begins acting young which causes the TGS writing staff to mock her. At the same time, movie star Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) decides to add a woman to his entourage as a learning experience when he and his wife, Angie (Sherri Shepherd
), have a daughter. He brings in the French-Dutch TGS writer Sue Laroche-Van der Hout (Sue Galloway). Tracy later loses his temper with a crew member, thinking that he made a suggestive comment about Sue, causing NBC page
Kenneth Parcell
(Jack McBrayer
) to tell Tracy that he has become paternal towards Sue. Soon after, Sue begins rebelling against him, as Tracy treats her as a child.
During the TGS after party, Danny's body paint—after performing as a robot—had not washed off and could be seen under the black lights at the party. As he knows about Danny and Liz's relationship, Jack later uses a black light
on Liz to reveal body paint all over her—transferred from Danny—revealing to her that he knows about their relationship. Jack tells Liz to end the relationship, but she hesitates. Eventually, she tries to break if off with Danny, but when she sees him wearing a CHiPs
costume, she changes her mind. Jack confronts Liz on the whereabouts of Danny, as Danny had skipped lunch with him, only for Jack to see Danny's CHiPs badge in her office. He orders her to end the relationship immediately, but Liz refuses, believing Jack is jealous. Simultaneously, Liz urges Jenna to come clean about her real age to the TGS staff, but Jenna balks at the idea. Liz tells Jenna if she tells everyone her real age, she will reveal her "friend Tom... Tom Selleck" her mustache, to which Jenna agrees. Later, Liz walks by the staff with the mustache in her face. Jenna thanks Liz for this, and as a result, Jenna accepts the role of the mother on Gossip Girl.
Knowing that Liz will not break off with Danny, Jack tells Danny he knows about the two. He lies to Danny by telling him he cares for Liz, hoping that Danny will end it with Liz, which he does. After Sue returns from a night of partying, Tracy tells her that all he wanted to do was be a father figure to her. Liz enters Tracy's dressing room—with the mustache intact—to take Sue back to the writers' room, as Liz had been looking for her. At the end, Tracy wonders if he can go through his experience with Sue if he has a daughter, to which Kenneth says he thinks he can.
and directed by series producer Don Scardino
. This was Hely's first writing credit and Scardino's twenty-third episode directed. It originally aired in the United States on January 14, 2010, on NBC as the tenth episode of the show's fourth season
and the 68th overall episode of the series.
"Black Light Attack!" was filmed on November 9 and November 13, 2009. In the scene in which Jenna
plays the dying mother on Gossip Girl
, the scenery is that used for the Waldorf residence in Gossip Girl. The two series are shot next to each other at Silvercup Studios
in Queens, New York
. In September 2008, it was reported that actresses Blake Lively
and Leighton Meester
, who star on Gossip Girl, were set to guest star on 30 Rock, but the appearances fell through.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
guest starred as himself in "Black Light Attack!"; Liz
is at home and watches Dr. Gupta on CNN
as he expounds about the rise in female libido before menopause, referred to as the "Dirty 30s". This was actor Cheyenne Jackson
's third appearance as Danny on 30 Rock. He made his debut in the November 12, 2009, episode "The Problem Solvers
", and would later guest star on "Secret Santa
". Series' creator, executive producer and lead actress Tina Fey
had seen Jackson in the Broadway musicals Xanadu
and Damn Yankees
, the latter that starred Jane Krakowski
, who plays Jenna on the show. According to Jackson in a November 2009 interview, Fey set up a meeting to interest him in a role on the program. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times
, it was revealed that it was Krakowski who brought Jackson to the attention of the 30 Rock producers. While at the Knicks game, Danny reveals details to Jack
, about the woman he is seeing, such as "She never takes off her shoes ... Even though the reason is she's never let a man see her feet", which is a real life trait of Fey's and her character.
In its original American broadcast, "Black Light Attack!" was watched by 5.014 million households, according to the Nielsen ratings
system. It received a 2.3 rating/6 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic, that is 2.3 percent of all people in that group, and 6 percent of all people from that group watching television at the time, watched the episode. This was a decrease from the previous episode, "Klaus and Greta
", that aired the same day of the week, which was watched by 5.122 million American viewers. The episode's rating constituted a 30 percent drop from the December 10, 2009, airing of the 30 Rock episode, "Secret Santa
", to a season low 2.3 rating. Nonetheless, "Black Light Attack!" was the third most viewed episode on the NBC network that week. Jane Krakowski received a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
for her work in this episode, but lost it to actress Jane Lynch
.
The episode received generally mixed reviews. IGN
contributor Robert Canning felt that the episode "didn't have the same comedic appeal" as "Klaus and Greta", but did say there were "some funny moments to be sure", but overall the episode lacked. He commented that the main plot had its faults, but that the weak link in the story was Cheyenne Jackson
's Danny. He wrote that the Sue character had been great in the past, but that her "expanded role" in this episode was less successful. In conclusion, Canning gave the episode a 7.5 out of 10 rating. The A.V. Club
' s Todd VanDerWerff wrote that "Black Light Attack!" was "dead in spots. I mean, I laughed out loud a number of times, but not nearly as much". He noted he liked Liz and Jack battling over Danny, but "something about it never landed in the way it should have", and opined that the show did not know what to do with Jackson. Overall, he gave the episode a B rating. Sean Gandert for Paste
felt that the Liz, Jack, and Danny plot was less interesting "and in general pretty meh." He noted that "Black Light Attack!" was "a big let-down" after the airing of "Klaus and Greta". Leonard Pierce for The A.V. Club called the episode uneven.
Time
contributor James Poniewozik
wrote that "Black Light Attack!" presented the balance 30 Rock "has reached with Liz Lemon's character, allowing her to be simultaneously nerdy/awkward ... and strong ... Throw in a steady stream of solid throwaway jokes ... and you had a worthy toofer." Nick Catucci for New York
magazine enjoyed the episode, particularly Jenna's line "Would a mother be going on a sex tour of Vietnam?", after telling Liz about her booked role as a mother on Gossip Girl, as a "classic Jenna line, more absurd than hilarious", and that the character's rendition of "Forever Young
" was a highlight. Television columnist Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
opined that this episode "made the best use yet of Cheyenne Jackson's Danny", and that he for once enjoyed "Jenna's narcissism and self-delusion" subplot, and her "late attempt" to seem young. Bob Sassone
of AOL
's TV Squad enjoyed "Black Light Attack!", though, his only complain was that 30 Rock did not focus more on the fictional show TGS, and said he would "like to get back to more of that." Entertainment Weekly
' s Margaret Lyons remarked that this episode and "Klaus and Greta" were terrific, and what stood out from both airings "was how much serialized plot[s] these two eps covered ... For a show that's usually so episodic, it was an interesting—totally successful—change of pace."
30 Rock (season 4)
The fourth season of 30 Rock, an American television comedy series, consists of 23 episodes and began airing on October 15, 2009, on the National Broadcasting Company network in the United States...
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
, and the 68th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by Steve Hely
Steve Hely
Steve Hely is an American writer.Hely has written for the television shows Late Show with David Letterman ; Last Call with Carson Daly, where he also served as an associate producer; American Dad; and 30 Rock...
and directed by series producer Don Scardino
Don Scardino
Don Scardino is an American television director and producer and a former actor.-Acting:Born in New York City, Scardino began his career as an actor. His first Broadway credit was as an understudy in The Playroom in 1965. Additional Broadway acting credits include Johnny No-Trump, Godspell, and...
. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
(NBC) in the United States on January 14, 2010. Guest stars in this episode include Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta is an American neurosurgeon and an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine and associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia....
and Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson is an American actor and singer. He started in regional theater when he moved to Seattle, and after moving to New York City, made his 2002 Broadway theatre debut understudying both male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie...
.
In the episode, TGS with Tracy Jordan head writer Liz Lemon
Liz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis "Liz" Lemon is the main character of the American television series 30 Rock. She is portrayed by Tina Fey, who is also the creator of the series and its showrunner.-Personal history:...
(Tina Fey
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...
) and new cast member Danny Baker (Jackson) further their relationship, while their boss Jack Donaghy
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He is the Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric and later Kabletown....
(Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
) becomes jealous and plans to break them apart. Meanwhile, movie star Tracy Jordan
Tracy Jordan
Ogbert Jordan, better known by his stage name, Tracy, is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, based on and played by Tracy Morgan.-Brief overview:...
(Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan is an American comedian who is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and currently known for playing the role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock.-Early life:...
) recruits TGS writer Sue Laroche-Van der Hout (Sue Galloway) into his entourage, and Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, played by Jane Krakowski.-Fictional biography:Jenna was born Ystrepa Grokovitz on February 24, 1969 and grew up in Bakersfield...
(Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
) auditions for a role on Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
. This episode was Jackson's third appearance as Danny.
"Black Light Attack!" received generally mixed reception from television critics. According to the Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
system, it was watched by 5.014 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.3 rating/6 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. Its rating constituted a 30 percent drop from the December 2009 episode "Secret Santa
Secret Santa (30 Rock)
"Secret Santa" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 66th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by series' creator Tina Fey and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company ...
". For her performance in this episode, Jane Krakowski received a Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
nomination in the category for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Plot
During the TGS afterparty, new cast member Danny Baker (Cheyenne JacksonCheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson is an American actor and singer. He started in regional theater when he moved to Seattle, and after moving to New York City, made his 2002 Broadway theatre debut understudying both male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie...
) admits to his boss, Jack Donaghy
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He is the Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric and later Kabletown....
(Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
), that he has been having an office romance but will not disclose the woman's name. While in attendance at a New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
game, Jack asks more about the woman Danny is seeing and Danny reveals details, such as she has never let a man see her feet. This results in Jack's realization that the woman is the show's head writer, Liz Lemon
Liz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis "Liz" Lemon is the main character of the American television series 30 Rock. She is portrayed by Tina Fey, who is also the creator of the series and its showrunner.-Personal history:...
(Tina Fey
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...
), and he is displeased.
Meanwhile, actress Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, played by Jane Krakowski.-Fictional biography:Jenna was born Ystrepa Grokovitz on February 24, 1969 and grew up in Bakersfield...
(Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
) auditions for a role she believes is for a college freshman on Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
. At the audition, Jenna learns that she is actually booked to audition for the role of the college freshman's mother. She panics, believing that this is a sign that she is no longer young, and in an attempt to reclaim her youth, begins acting young which causes the TGS writing staff to mock her. At the same time, movie star Tracy Jordan
Tracy Jordan
Ogbert Jordan, better known by his stage name, Tracy, is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, based on and played by Tracy Morgan.-Brief overview:...
(Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan is an American comedian who is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and currently known for playing the role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock.-Early life:...
) decides to add a woman to his entourage as a learning experience when he and his wife, Angie (Sherri Shepherd
Sherri Shepherd
Sherri Evonne Shepherd is an American comedienne, actress, and television personality. She is one of five co-hosts on the ABC daytime talkshow, The View, as well as being the current host of the Newlywed Game and having a recurring role as Angie Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock...
), have a daughter. He brings in the French-Dutch TGS writer Sue Laroche-Van der Hout (Sue Galloway). Tracy later loses his temper with a crew member, thinking that he made a suggestive comment about Sue, causing NBC page
NBC page
An NBC page is a person usually in his or her early twenties working in various departments of the NBC television network during a one-year period as a training ground for careers in television broadcasting and entertainment...
Kenneth Parcell
Kenneth Parcell
Kenneth Ellen Parcell is a fictional character in the comedy television series 30 Rock. He is portrayed by actor Jack McBrayer and first appeared on television in the 30 Rock episode "Pilot" on October 10, 2006...
(Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"...
) to tell Tracy that he has become paternal towards Sue. Soon after, Sue begins rebelling against him, as Tracy treats her as a child.
During the TGS after party, Danny's body paint—after performing as a robot—had not washed off and could be seen under the black lights at the party. As he knows about Danny and Liz's relationship, Jack later uses a black light
Black light
A black light, also referred to as a UV light, ultraviolet light, or Wood's lamp, is a lamp that emits ultraviolet radiation in the long-wave range, and little visible light...
on Liz to reveal body paint all over her—transferred from Danny—revealing to her that he knows about their relationship. Jack tells Liz to end the relationship, but she hesitates. Eventually, she tries to break if off with Danny, but when she sees him wearing a CHiPs
CHiPs
CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol...
costume, she changes her mind. Jack confronts Liz on the whereabouts of Danny, as Danny had skipped lunch with him, only for Jack to see Danny's CHiPs badge in her office. He orders her to end the relationship immediately, but Liz refuses, believing Jack is jealous. Simultaneously, Liz urges Jenna to come clean about her real age to the TGS staff, but Jenna balks at the idea. Liz tells Jenna if she tells everyone her real age, she will reveal her "friend Tom... Tom Selleck" her mustache, to which Jenna agrees. Later, Liz walks by the staff with the mustache in her face. Jenna thanks Liz for this, and as a result, Jenna accepts the role of the mother on Gossip Girl.
Knowing that Liz will not break off with Danny, Jack tells Danny he knows about the two. He lies to Danny by telling him he cares for Liz, hoping that Danny will end it with Liz, which he does. After Sue returns from a night of partying, Tracy tells her that all he wanted to do was be a father figure to her. Liz enters Tracy's dressing room—with the mustache intact—to take Sue back to the writers' room, as Liz had been looking for her. At the end, Tracy wonders if he can go through his experience with Sue if he has a daughter, to which Kenneth says he thinks he can.
Production
"Black Light Attack!" was written by Steve HelySteve Hely
Steve Hely is an American writer.Hely has written for the television shows Late Show with David Letterman ; Last Call with Carson Daly, where he also served as an associate producer; American Dad; and 30 Rock...
and directed by series producer Don Scardino
Don Scardino
Don Scardino is an American television director and producer and a former actor.-Acting:Born in New York City, Scardino began his career as an actor. His first Broadway credit was as an understudy in The Playroom in 1965. Additional Broadway acting credits include Johnny No-Trump, Godspell, and...
. This was Hely's first writing credit and Scardino's twenty-third episode directed. It originally aired in the United States on January 14, 2010, on NBC as the tenth episode of the show's fourth season
30 Rock (season 4)
The fourth season of 30 Rock, an American television comedy series, consists of 23 episodes and began airing on October 15, 2009, on the National Broadcasting Company network in the United States...
and the 68th overall episode of the series.
"Black Light Attack!" was filmed on November 9 and November 13, 2009. In the scene in which Jenna
Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, played by Jane Krakowski.-Fictional biography:Jenna was born Ystrepa Grokovitz on February 24, 1969 and grew up in Bakersfield...
plays the dying mother on Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
, the scenery is that used for the Waldorf residence in Gossip Girl. The two series are shot next to each other at Silvercup Studios
Silvercup Studios
Silvercup Studios is the largest film and television production facility in New York City. Located in the neighborhood of Long Island City, in the borough of Queens, the studio complex has been operating since 1983 in the former Silvercup Bakery building...
in Queens, New York
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. In September 2008, it was reported that actresses Blake Lively
Blake Lively
Blake Christina Lively is an American actress and model who stars as Serena van der Woodsen in the television teen drama series Gossip Girl...
and Leighton Meester
Leighton Meester
Leighton Marissa Meester is an American actress and singer. Meester first garnered attention for playing Blair Waldorf in the CW television series Gossip Girl...
, who star on Gossip Girl, were set to guest star on 30 Rock, but the appearances fell through.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta is an American neurosurgeon and an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine and associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia....
guest starred as himself in "Black Light Attack!"; Liz
Liz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis "Liz" Lemon is the main character of the American television series 30 Rock. She is portrayed by Tina Fey, who is also the creator of the series and its showrunner.-Personal history:...
is at home and watches Dr. Gupta on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
as he expounds about the rise in female libido before menopause, referred to as the "Dirty 30s". This was actor Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson is an American actor and singer. He started in regional theater when he moved to Seattle, and after moving to New York City, made his 2002 Broadway theatre debut understudying both male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie...
's third appearance as Danny on 30 Rock. He made his debut in the November 12, 2009, episode "The Problem Solvers
The Problem Solvers
"The Problem Solvers" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 63rd overall episode of the series. It was written by co-executive producer Ron Weiner and directed by co-executive producer John Riggi. It originally aired on the National...
", and would later guest star on "Secret Santa
Secret Santa (30 Rock)
"Secret Santa" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 66th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by series' creator Tina Fey and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company ...
". Series' creator, executive producer and lead actress Tina Fey
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...
had seen Jackson in the Broadway musicals Xanadu
Xanadu (musical)
Xanadu is a musical comedy with a book by Douglas Carter Beane, music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar, based on the 1980 cult classic film of the same name which was, in turn, inspired by the 1947 Rita Hayworth film Down to Earth. The title is a reference to the poem, Kubla Khan, or A...
and Damn Yankees
Damn Yankees
Damn Yankees is a musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League...
, the latter that starred Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
, who plays Jenna on the show. According to Jackson in a November 2009 interview, Fey set up a meeting to interest him in a role on the program. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, it was revealed that it was Krakowski who brought Jackson to the attention of the 30 Rock producers. While at the Knicks game, Danny reveals details to Jack
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He is the Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric and later Kabletown....
, about the woman he is seeing, such as "She never takes off her shoes ... Even though the reason is she's never let a man see her feet", which is a real life trait of Fey's and her character.
Reception
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
system. It received a 2.3 rating/6 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic, that is 2.3 percent of all people in that group, and 6 percent of all people from that group watching television at the time, watched the episode. This was a decrease from the previous episode, "Klaus and Greta
Klaus and Greta
"Klaus and Greta" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock. It was written by co-showrunner and executive producer Robert Carlock and directed by Gail Mancuso. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company network in the United...
", that aired the same day of the week, which was watched by 5.122 million American viewers. The episode's rating constituted a 30 percent drop from the December 10, 2009, airing of the 30 Rock episode, "Secret Santa
Secret Santa (30 Rock)
"Secret Santa" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 66th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by series' creator Tina Fey and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company ...
", to a season low 2.3 rating. Nonetheless, "Black Light Attack!" was the third most viewed episode on the NBC network that week. Jane Krakowski received a Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
The 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, took place on August 29, 2010, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California beginning at 5:00 p.m. PDT...
for her work in this episode, but lost it to actress Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
.
The episode received generally mixed reviews. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
contributor Robert Canning felt that the episode "didn't have the same comedic appeal" as "Klaus and Greta", but did say there were "some funny moments to be sure", but overall the episode lacked. He commented that the main plot had its faults, but that the weak link in the story was Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson is an American actor and singer. He started in regional theater when he moved to Seattle, and after moving to New York City, made his 2002 Broadway theatre debut understudying both male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie...
's Danny. He wrote that the Sue character had been great in the past, but that her "expanded role" in this episode was less successful. In conclusion, Canning gave the episode a 7.5 out of 10 rating. The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
Paste (magazine)
Paste is a monthly music and entertainment digital magazine published in the United States by Wolfgang's Vault. Its tagline is "Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture."-History:...
felt that the Liz, Jack, and Danny plot was less interesting "and in general pretty meh." He noted that "Black Light Attack!" was "a big let-down" after the airing of "Klaus and Greta". Leonard Pierce for The A.V. Club called the episode uneven.
Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
contributor James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik is an American journalist and television critic. He writes Times Tuned In column and has a blog with the same name.Originally from Monroe, MI, Poniewozik attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, graduating with a BA in English. He subsequently attended the graduate program...
wrote that "Black Light Attack!" presented the balance 30 Rock "has reached with Liz Lemon's character, allowing her to be simultaneously nerdy/awkward ... and strong ... Throw in a steady stream of solid throwaway jokes ... and you had a worthy toofer." Nick Catucci for New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine enjoyed the episode, particularly Jenna's line "Would a mother be going on a sex tour of Vietnam?", after telling Liz about her booked role as a mother on Gossip Girl, as a "classic Jenna line, more absurd than hilarious", and that the character's rendition of "Forever Young
Forever Young (Alphaville song)
"Forever Young" is the title track from German rock/synthpop group Alphaville's 1984 debut album of the same name. Though it was not the group's highest-charting European hit and failed to reach the American Top 40 despite three separate U.S...
" was a highlight. Television columnist Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
opined that this episode "made the best use yet of Cheyenne Jackson's Danny", and that he for once enjoyed "Jenna's narcissism and self-delusion" subplot, and her "late attempt" to seem young. Bob Sassone
Bob Sassone
Bob Sassone is an American writer. He was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, to Italian and Portuguese parents. He is the youngest of seven children....
of AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
's TV Squad enjoyed "Black Light Attack!", though, his only complain was that 30 Rock did not focus more on the fictional show TGS, and said he would "like to get back to more of that." Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
External links
- "Black Light Attack!," at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...