I Do Do
Encyclopedia
"I Do Do" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the fourth season
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
, and the 80th overall episode of the series. It was directed by series producer Don Scardino
, and written by series creator, executive producer and lead actress Tina Fey
. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) network in the United States on May 20, 2010. Guest stars in this episode include Elizabeth Banks
, Craig Castaldo
, Matt Damon
, Will Forte
, Susan Heyward, Kristin McGee, Julianne Moore
, Paula Pell, Michael Sheen
, and Jason Sudeikis
.
In the episode, Liz Lemon
(Fey) meets the man of her dreams (Damon). Meanwhile, Jack Donaghy
's (Alec Baldwin
) love triangle with Avery Jessup (Banks) and Nancy Donovan (Moore) comes to a head. At the same time, NBC page
Kenneth Parcell
(Jack McBrayer
) tries to avoid a promotion that would send him to Los Angeles, and Jenna Maroney
's (Jane Krakowski
) new relationship may be ruined after her boyfriend (Forte) falls for another woman.
"I Do Do" was generally, though not universally, well-received among television critics. According to the Nielsen Media Research
, this episode was watched by 5.5 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.8 rating/8 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. "I Do Do" received two Primetime Emmy Award
nominations for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
and Outstanding Costumes for a Series
.
ended, at Kaitlin (Kristin McGee) and Floyd DeBarber's (Jason Sudeikis
) wedding. Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
), who is scheduled to do a reading at the ceremony, wastes time so that her boss, Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
), after sending her a text message
to stall for time, can talk things over with Nancy Donovan (Julianne Moore
). He has admitted to Nancy that he is in love with both her and Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks
), but she cannot cope with what Jack has told her. The two talk the situation over, and Jack eventually tells Nancy that he cares for her and decides he wants to be with her.
After Floyd's wedding, Liz goes to the office of her fiancé, Wesley Snipes (Michael Sheen
), to retrieve his shoes for Cerie Xerox's (Katrina Bowden
) wedding. At Wesley's office, she meets an airline pilot named Carol (Matt Damon
). When she learns that Carol is a big fan of The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan (TGS), for which Liz is the head writer, she asks Carol to go with her to Cerie's wedding, which he accepts. At Cerie's wedding, Wesley is distraught that Liz ended their engagement through a text message she sent to him. Liz tells him that fate brought them together so that she would meet Carol, with whom she can see herself spending the rest of her life. Wesley is devastated and leaves. Unbeknownst to Liz, Carol, who Liz thought had stepped out from the party area, heard everything she told Wesley, which shocks Carol, prompting him to leave. At the same time, at Cerie's wedding, Nancy learns that Avery is pregnant after having a conversation with her in the ladies room, and tells Jack before she leaves him. When Jack finds Avery, he tells her he wants to marry her, which she accepts.
Meanwhile, NBC page
Kenneth Parcell
(Jack McBrayer
) is notified by TGS producer Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit
) that he has received a promotion as "junior-in-charge-boy of the entire NBC page program" but that he will have to move out to Los Angeles
, which does not sit well with Kenneth. Kenneth tells Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) about this, but Tracy advises him to do a lousy job so that he loses the promotion. While giving a tour around the 30 Rock building, Kenneth does a terrible job, and as a result of his behavior, Pete is forced to dismiss him. At the same time, Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
) is shocked to see her boyfriend and Jenna impersonator, Paul (Will Forte
), dressed as singer Cher
. At Feyoncé (Susan Heyward) and Grizz Griswold's (Grizz Chapman
) wedding, which is being held at the TGS set, Jenna is not amused that Paul showed up dressed as Cher, but is surprised that Paul is dressed as her on his left side and Cher on his right, and as a result, the two make-up. Later, at Grizz's wedding, Jack tells Liz that Carol is looking for her. Carol tells Liz that he would like to give her a chance so that the two can have a relationship. At the same time, Kenneth, who is drunk, gets on stage, and gives a ranting speech to his former co-workers.
, and directed by series producer Don Scardino
. This was Fey's twenty-first writing credit, and Scardino's twenty-seventh directed episode. "I Do Do" originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 21, 2010, as the twenty-second episode and season finale of the show's fourth season
and the 80th overall episode of the series. This episode of 30 Rock was filmed on March 16, April 7, and April 8, 2010. Saint Cecilia's Catholic Church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
served as the church for Floyd and Kaitlin's wedding.
In March 2010, it was confirmed that actor Matt Damon would guest star on 30 Rock, and in this season finale episode, he played Carol, an airline pilot and love interest for Fey's character, Liz Lemon. In December 2009, Entertainment Weekly
informed Damon that he was at the top of Fey's guest star wish list for the show. When told about this, Damon, a fan of the show, responded "I would do [30 Rock] in a heartbeat if they asked me to come on. She should call my people – or even better me. Or I could call her. Let's make this happen." Damon has worked with Alec Baldwin, the latter who plays Jack Donaghy, in the 2006 feature films The Departed
and The Good Shepherd
. Damon's role on the show made it his second prime-time television appearance following his guest spot on Will & Grace
—a series that previously aired on NBC—in 2002. When asked if he would return as Carol in the show's fifth season
, Damon said "If they'll have me, I would love to pop in and see the gang again. I had a great time doing it."
In "I Do Do", actors Elizabeth Banks, Will Forte, Julianne Moore, Michael Sheen, and Jason Sudeikis reprised their roles as Avery Jessup, Paul, Nancy Donovan, Wesley Snipes, and Floyd DeBarber, respectively. This episode concluded Jack's love triangle arc with Avery and Nancy, which first began in "Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter
", after it was revealed that Avery was pregnant with Jack's child, and Jack ultimately choosing Avery. Show producer and writer Paula Pell made an appearance on the episode as Paula Horneberger, the wife of Pete Horneberger, played by Scott Adsit. In one scene of this episode, Jack sees Avery and tells her he wants to be with her, though, music is played in the background as Jack talks to Avery. Jack then asks that the music be turned down, which is shut off by a man. The man was credited as "Moonvest" and was played by Craig Castaldo, or known as Radio Man
. Castaldo has made numerous appearances on the show.
The cake shown briefly in Grizz Griswold's wedding was designed by bakers from Food Network
's reality television show Ace of Cakes
. There was an entire episode of Ace of Cakes devoted to designing this cake and the cake for the season four wrap party.
with the Bible. "So I'm going to marry ... Nafet. And we're going to live in ... Nineveh. And I'm going to be a ... prostitute." Mash is a game intended to predict one's future. Afterwards, Liz rewords the lyrics to "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)
" by folk-singing trio Peter, Paul and Mary
. Nancy tells Jack that she cannot share him with another woman. She says, "I can't share you with another woman like you're that Mormon guy on HBO who was in that tornado movie with that blond woman who was married to that Jewish guy." Her statement is a reference to actor Bill Paxton
who appeared in the 1996 movie Twister, and currently stars in the HBO show Big Love
, a series about a fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah who practice polygamy
. The "blonde woman" and "Jewish guy" Nancy is referring to are actors Helen Hunt
and Hank Azaria
.
Jenna is shocked that Paul is dressing up as singer Cher. She tells him that she expected fidelity
from him, as he is a Jenna impersonator, and says "Fidelity, Paul. It's not just the name of a bank that sued me." Fidelity Investments
is one of the largest mutual fund groups in the world. Later, Nancy recognizes Avery from an Overshoppe.com commercial. In a flashback, Avery repeatedly pronounces the letter "O" with a Maryland accent. The commercial is a parody to Overstock.com
's commercials, an online seller of surplus merchandise. During her speech, Liz cites her foot problem, meaning she has never let anyone see her feet, which is a real life trait of Fey's. After Liz's speech, Wesley tells her that losing him is her loss and "There's only one Wesley Snipes in this world", though, Liz says "You know there isn't", a reference to the other Wesley Snipes
, an American actor.
, "I Do Do" was watched by 5.5 million households in its original American broadcast. The rating was a 12 percent increase in viewership from the previous week's episode, "Emanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land
", which was seen by 4.996 million American viewers. The show claimed a 2.8 rating/8 share among viewers aged 18 to 49, meaning that 2.8 percent of all people in that group, and 8 percent of all people from that group watching television at the time, watched the episode. Don Scardino received a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
work his work in "I Do Do" at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
, but lost it to Ryan Murphy. In addition, Tom Broecker, Remy Pearce, and Joanna Brett, costume designers on the show, received a nomination for Outstanding Costumes for a Series
for this episode at the same awards show, however, they lost the award to Joan Bergin and Susan Cave of The Tudors.
Bob Sassone
of AOL
's TV Squad said that he was not certain if "this was a great 30 Rock episode" but that it "had all of the elements that make the good ones: funny one-liners and Liz and Jack both looking for something better in their lives." He was complimentary towards Matt Damon's appearance, writing that he "was one of the best things about this season finale episode", but admitted he could not see Damon "being Liz's boyfriend or husband next season
." The A.V. Club
' s Nathan Rabin wrote that he enjoyed Kenneth's rant against his former co-workers, and said that this episode "was a terrific end to a season that wobbled for a while but ended strongly." Sean Gandert of Paste
magazine said that Kenneth's story was "an enjoyable diversion". In regards to the finale, itself, Gandert noted that it was "pretty good, but not outstanding, which is a fitting way to conclude a season that never quite hit its stride but was still consistently entertaining." Entertainment Weekly
contributor Emily Exton noted that Damon's character was a "perfect match" for Liz. Meredith Blake, writing for the Los Angeles Times
, wrote that Damon was "perfectly Damon-esque". Blake reported that she had been rooting for the Avery character since first appearing in the series, but acknowledged "that there's something undeniably sweet about Jack and Nancy." IGN
contributor Robert Canning complimented Julianne Moore's performance, writing that she was "engaging". Canning said that Kenneth and Jenna's plots "added more hilarity to the episode" and that on their own "these storylines [were] very entertaining. But combine them into one fantastic, fast and funny half hour and you're left with near perfection." Alexandra Martell of New York
magazine said that Avery's pregnancy was "going to drive much of next season, but if that means more Elizabeth Banks, we're cool." Martell wrote that Kenneth getting fired was a "nice twist", but that "the highlight" of "I Do Do" was Jenna discovering Paul dressing up as Cher. TV Guide
' s Adam Mersel opined that the "biggest twist in the series' history" was Nancy revealing that Avery was pregnant.
Not all reviews were positive. Television columnist Alan Sepiwall for HitFix wrote that the finale had "funny throwaway lines and moments" but that overall "it was another largely flat episode, and one that leaned too heavily on the guest stars." Callie Carmichael of CNN
was less positive, writing that "I Do Do" fell "a bit flat", and concluded "As a rule of thumb, sitcoms usually fall short when you take the characters out of their element, and this one definitely did with three weddings in three separate places." Eleanor Barkhorn from The Atlantic had issues with the plot twists, citing that they would not "bode well for the future of the series." She explained that Jack and Avery having a child was "problematic", observing that it puts a "relatively definite end" to the sexual tension between Liz and Jack that occurred in the show's first season
. In addition, Barkhorn noted that Damon's character was a "great match" for Tina Fey's Liz, but believed that the relationship between the two would not last.
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 80th overall episode of the series. It was 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...
, and written by 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...
. The episode 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) network in the United States on May 20, 2010. Guest stars in this episode include Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell , known professionally as Elizabeth Banks, is an American actress. Banks had her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy...
, Craig Castaldo
Radio Man
Radioman is the nickname of a former homeless man in New York City who has gained notoriety from making cameo appearances in a number of films and TV shows....
, Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
, Will Forte
Will Forte
Orville Willis Forte IV, better known as Will Forte , is an American actor, voice actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2002–2010 and for starring in the SNL spin-off film MacGruber.-Early life:Forte was born in Alameda County, California, the son of...
, Susan Heyward, Kristin McGee, Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore is an American actress and a children's book author. Throughout her career, she has been nominated for four Oscars, six Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards....
, Paula Pell, Michael Sheen
Michael Sheen
Michael Christopher Sheen, OBE , is a Welsh stage and screen actor. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England and made his professional debut opposite Vanessa Redgrave in When She Danced at the Globe Theatre in 1991...
, and Jason Sudeikis
Jason Sudeikis
Daniel Jason Sudeikis is an American actor and comedian currently starring as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Kathryn , a travel agent who was president of the American Society of Travel Agents, and Dan...
.
In the episode, 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:...
(Fey) meets the man of her dreams (Damon). Meanwhile, 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....
's (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...
) love triangle with Avery Jessup (Banks) and Nancy Donovan (Moore) comes to a head. At the same time, 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"...
) tries to avoid a promotion that would send him to Los Angeles, 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...
's (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...
) new relationship may be ruined after her boyfriend (Forte) falls for another woman.
"I Do Do" was generally, though not universally, well-received among television critics. According to the Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
, this episode was watched by 5.5 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.8 rating/8 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. "I Do Do" received two 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...
nominations for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series is an Emmy presented to the best directing of a television comedy series.-1960s:*1960: Ralph Levy / Bud Yorkin – Jack Benny Hour Specials...
and Outstanding Costumes for a Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Series
This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Series.-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:- External links :*, Information Please Database, Pearson PLC...
.
Plot
The episode starts where the previous oneEmanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land
"Emanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land" is the twenty-first episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 79th overall episode of the series. It was written by supervising producer Matt Hubbard and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller. The episode originally aired on...
ended, at Kaitlin (Kristin McGee) and Floyd DeBarber's (Jason Sudeikis
Jason Sudeikis
Daniel Jason Sudeikis is an American actor and comedian currently starring as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Kathryn , a travel agent who was president of the American Society of Travel Agents, and Dan...
) wedding. 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...
), who is scheduled to do a reading at the ceremony, wastes time so that her 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...
), after sending her a text message
Text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
to stall for time, can talk things over with Nancy Donovan (Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore is an American actress and a children's book author. Throughout her career, she has been nominated for four Oscars, six Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards....
). He has admitted to Nancy that he is in love with both her and Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell , known professionally as Elizabeth Banks, is an American actress. Banks had her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy...
), but she cannot cope with what Jack has told her. The two talk the situation over, and Jack eventually tells Nancy that he cares for her and decides he wants to be with her.
After Floyd's wedding, Liz goes to the office of her fiancé, Wesley Snipes (Michael Sheen
Michael Sheen
Michael Christopher Sheen, OBE , is a Welsh stage and screen actor. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England and made his professional debut opposite Vanessa Redgrave in When She Danced at the Globe Theatre in 1991...
), to retrieve his shoes for Cerie Xerox's (Katrina Bowden
Katrina Bowden
Katrina Bowden is an American actress. She is known for her short role as Britney Jennings on One Life to Live and for her role as Cerie in 30 Rock .- Education :...
) wedding. At Wesley's office, she meets an airline pilot named Carol (Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
). When she learns that Carol is a big fan of The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan (TGS), for which Liz is the head writer, she asks Carol to go with her to Cerie's wedding, which he accepts. At Cerie's wedding, Wesley is distraught that Liz ended their engagement through a text message she sent to him. Liz tells him that fate brought them together so that she would meet Carol, with whom she can see herself spending the rest of her life. Wesley is devastated and leaves. Unbeknownst to Liz, Carol, who Liz thought had stepped out from the party area, heard everything she told Wesley, which shocks Carol, prompting him to leave. At the same time, at Cerie's wedding, Nancy learns that Avery is pregnant after having a conversation with her in the ladies room, and tells Jack before she leaves him. When Jack finds Avery, he tells her he wants to marry her, which she accepts.
Meanwhile, 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"...
) is notified by TGS producer Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit
Scott Adsit
Scott Adsit is an American actor, writer and improvisational comedian. He is currently co-starring as Pete Hornberger in the hit NBC comedy 30 Rock and worked in the Adult Swim stop-motion animation programs Moral Orel and Mary Shelley's Frankenhole.-1990s:After attending Columbia College Chicago,...
) that he has received a promotion as "junior-in-charge-boy of the entire NBC page program" but that he will have to move out to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, which does not sit well with Kenneth. Kenneth tells 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:...
) about this, but Tracy advises him to do a lousy job so that he loses the promotion. While giving a tour around the 30 Rock building, Kenneth does a terrible job, and as a result of his behavior, Pete is forced to dismiss him. At the same time, 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...
) is shocked to see her boyfriend and Jenna impersonator, Paul (Will Forte
Will Forte
Orville Willis Forte IV, better known as Will Forte , is an American actor, voice actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2002–2010 and for starring in the SNL spin-off film MacGruber.-Early life:Forte was born in Alameda County, California, the son of...
), dressed as singer Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
. At Feyoncé (Susan Heyward) and Grizz Griswold's (Grizz Chapman
Grizz Chapman
Grizzwald "Grizz" Chapman is an American television actor best known for his recurring role as Grizz on the NBC series 30 Rock. A June 2007 interview with rollingout.com lists Chapman's height as 6'10". In his commentary for the episode "Tracy Does Conan," Tracy Morgan revealed that they met when...
) wedding, which is being held at the TGS set, Jenna is not amused that Paul showed up dressed as Cher, but is surprised that Paul is dressed as her on his left side and Cher on his right, and as a result, the two make-up. Later, at Grizz's wedding, Jack tells Liz that Carol is looking for her. Carol tells Liz that he would like to give her a chance so that the two can have a relationship. At the same time, Kenneth, who is drunk, gets on stage, and gives a ranting speech to his former co-workers.
Production
"I Do Do" was written by series creator, executive producer and lead actress Tina FeyTina 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 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 Fey's twenty-first writing credit, and Scardino's twenty-seventh directed episode. "I Do Do" originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 21, 2010, as the twenty-second episode and season finale 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 80th overall episode of the series. This episode of 30 Rock was filmed on March 16, April 7, and April 8, 2010. Saint Cecilia's Catholic Church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Greenpoint is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bordered on the southwest by Williamsburg at the Bushwick inlet, on the southeast by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and East Williamsburg, on the north by Newtown Creek and Long Island City, Queens at the...
served as the church for Floyd and Kaitlin's wedding.
In March 2010, it was confirmed that actor Matt Damon would guest star on 30 Rock, and in this season finale episode, he played Carol, an airline pilot and love interest for Fey's character, Liz Lemon. In December 2009, 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...
informed Damon that he was at the top of Fey's guest star wish list for the show. When told about this, Damon, a fan of the show, responded "I would do [30 Rock] in a heartbeat if they asked me to come on. She should call my people – or even better me. Or I could call her. Let's make this happen." Damon has worked with Alec Baldwin, the latter who plays Jack Donaghy, in the 2006 feature films The Departed
The Departed
The Departed is a 2006 American crime thriller film, fashioned as a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan...
and The Good Shepherd
The Good Shepherd (film)
The Good Shepherd is a 2006 spy film directed by Robert De Niro and starring Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie, with an extensive supporting cast. Although it is a fictional film loosely based on real events, it is advertised as telling the untold story of the birth of counter-intelligence in the...
. Damon's role on the show made it his second prime-time television appearance following his guest spot on Will & Grace
Will & Grace
Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
—a series that previously aired on NBC—in 2002. When asked if he would return as Carol in the show's fifth season
30 Rock (season 5)
The fifth season of 30 Rock, an American television comedy series on the NBC network in the United States, began airing on September 23, 2010. NBC announced on March 5, 2010 that 30 Rock would be returning for a fifth season in the 2010–2011 television season...
, Damon said "If they'll have me, I would love to pop in and see the gang again. I had a great time doing it."
In "I Do Do", actors Elizabeth Banks, Will Forte, Julianne Moore, Michael Sheen, and Jason Sudeikis reprised their roles as Avery Jessup, Paul, Nancy Donovan, Wesley Snipes, and Floyd DeBarber, respectively. This episode concluded Jack's love triangle arc with Avery and Nancy, which first began in "Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter
Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter
"Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter" is the seventeenth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 75th overall episode of the series. It was written by co-producer Kay Cannon and series creator Tina Fey. The episode was directed by series producer Don Scardino...
", after it was revealed that Avery was pregnant with Jack's child, and Jack ultimately choosing Avery. Show producer and writer Paula Pell made an appearance on the episode as Paula Horneberger, the wife of Pete Horneberger, played by Scott Adsit. In one scene of this episode, Jack sees Avery and tells her he wants to be with her, though, music is played in the background as Jack talks to Avery. Jack then asks that the music be turned down, which is shut off by a man. The man was credited as "Moonvest" and was played by Craig Castaldo, or known as Radio Man
Radio Man
Radioman is the nickname of a former homeless man in New York City who has gained notoriety from making cameo appearances in a number of films and TV shows....
. Castaldo has made numerous appearances on the show.
The cake shown briefly in Grizz Griswold's wedding was designed by bakers from Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
's reality television show Ace of Cakes
Ace of Cakes
Ace of Cakes is an American reality television show which airs on the Food Network. The show focuses on the daily operations of Duff Goldman's custom cake shop, Charm City Cakes, in Baltimore, Maryland; including small-business ownership, working with various vendors, tasting with customers,...
. There was an entire episode of Ace of Cakes devoted to designing this cake and the cake for the season four wrap party.
Cultural references
The episode opens with Liz at Kaitlin and Floyd's wedding, and she plays MashMASH (game)
MASH is a game, commonly played by young children, intended to predict one's future. M.A.S.H. stands for mansion, apartment, shack , or house. The game revolves around four categories: the car, the kind of house, the partner, and the number of kids...
with the Bible. "So I'm going to marry ... Nafet. And we're going to live in ... Nineveh. And I'm going to be a ... prostitute." Mash is a game intended to predict one's future. Afterwards, Liz rewords the lyrics to "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)
The Wedding Song (There is Love)
"The Wedding Song " is a song written by Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary in the fall of 1969 and first performed at the wedding of Peter Yarrow to Mary Beth McCarthy at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Willmar, Minnesota...
" by folk-singing trio Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary were an American folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers...
. Nancy tells Jack that she cannot share him with another woman. She says, "I can't share you with another woman like you're that Mormon guy on HBO who was in that tornado movie with that blond woman who was married to that Jewish guy." Her statement is a reference to actor Bill Paxton
Bill Paxton
William "Bill" Paxton is an American actor and film director. He gained popularity after starring roles in the films Apollo 13, Twister, Aliens, True Lies, and Titanic...
who appeared in the 1996 movie Twister, and currently stars in the HBO show Big Love
Big Love
Big Love is an American television drama that aired on HBO between March 2006 and March 2011. The show is about a fictional fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah that practices polygamy...
, a series about a fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah who practice polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
. The "blonde woman" and "Jewish guy" Nancy is referring to are actors Helen Hunt
Helen Hunt
Helen Elizabeth Hunt is an American actress, film director, and screenwriter. She starred in the sitcom Mad About You for seven years, before being cast in the romantic comedy As Good as It Gets...
and Hank Azaria
Hank Azaria
Henry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief...
.
Jenna is shocked that Paul is dressing up as singer Cher. She tells him that she expected fidelity
Fidelity
"Fidelity" is the quality of being faithful or loyal. Its original meaning regarded duty to a lord or a king, in a broader sense than the related concept of fealty. Both derive from the Latin word fidēlis, meaning "faithful or loyal"....
from him, as he is a Jenna impersonator, and says "Fidelity, Paul. It's not just the name of a bank that sued me." Fidelity Investments
Fidelity Investments
FMR LLC or Fidelity Investments is an American multinational financial services corporation one of the largest mutual fund and financial services groups in the world. It was founded in 1946 and serves North American investors. Fidelity Ventures is its venture capital arm...
is one of the largest mutual fund groups in the world. Later, Nancy recognizes Avery from an Overshoppe.com commercial. In a flashback, Avery repeatedly pronounces the letter "O" with a Maryland accent. The commercial is a parody to Overstock.com
Overstock.com
Overstock.com , also known by its shortcut, O.co, is an online retailer headquartered in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, near Salt Lake City. Founded in 1997 by Robert Brazell, under the name D2: Discounts Direct, it was a pioneering online seller of surplus merchandise which, upon its failure in 1999,...
's commercials, an online seller of surplus merchandise. During her speech, Liz cites her foot problem, meaning she has never let anyone see her feet, which is a real life trait of Fey's. After Liz's speech, Wesley tells her that losing him is her loss and "There's only one Wesley Snipes in this world", though, Liz says "You know there isn't", a reference to the other Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
, an American actor.
Reception
According to the Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
, "I Do Do" was watched by 5.5 million households in its original American broadcast. The rating was a 12 percent increase in viewership from the previous week's episode, "Emanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land
Emanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land
"Emanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land" is the twenty-first episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 79th overall episode of the series. It was written by supervising producer Matt Hubbard and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller. The episode originally aired on...
", which was seen by 4.996 million American viewers. The show claimed a 2.8 rating/8 share among viewers aged 18 to 49, meaning that 2.8 percent of all people in that group, and 8 percent of all people from that group watching television at the time, watched the episode. Don Scardino 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 Directing for a Comedy Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series is an Emmy presented to the best directing of a television comedy series.-1960s:*1960: Ralph Levy / Bud Yorkin – Jack Benny Hour Specials...
work his work in "I Do Do" 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...
, but lost it to Ryan Murphy. In addition, Tom Broecker, Remy Pearce, and Joanna Brett, costume designers on the show, received a nomination for Outstanding Costumes for a Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Series
This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Series.-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:- External links :*, Information Please Database, Pearson PLC...
for this episode at the same awards show, however, they lost the award to Joan Bergin and Susan Cave of The Tudors.
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 said that he was not certain if "this was a great 30 Rock episode" but that it "had all of the elements that make the good ones: funny one-liners and Liz and Jack both looking for something better in their lives." He was complimentary towards Matt Damon's appearance, writing that he "was one of the best things about this season finale episode", but admitted he could not see Damon "being Liz's boyfriend or husband next season
30 Rock (season 5)
The fifth season of 30 Rock, an American television comedy series on the NBC network in the United States, began airing on September 23, 2010. NBC announced on March 5, 2010 that 30 Rock would be returning for a fifth season in the 2010–2011 television season...
." 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:...
magazine said that Kenneth's story was "an enjoyable diversion". In regards to the finale, itself, Gandert noted that it was "pretty good, but not outstanding, which is a fitting way to conclude a season that never quite hit its stride but was still consistently entertaining." 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...
contributor Emily Exton noted that Damon's character was a "perfect match" for Liz. Meredith Blake, writing for 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....
, wrote that Damon was "perfectly Damon-esque". Blake reported that she had been rooting for the Avery character since first appearing in the series, but acknowledged "that there's something undeniably sweet about Jack and Nancy." 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 complimented Julianne Moore's performance, writing that she was "engaging". Canning said that Kenneth and Jenna's plots "added more hilarity to the episode" and that on their own "these storylines [were] very entertaining. But combine them into one fantastic, fast and funny half hour and you're left with near perfection." Alexandra Martell of 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 said that Avery's pregnancy was "going to drive much of next season, but if that means more Elizabeth Banks, we're cool." Martell wrote that Kenneth getting fired was a "nice twist", but that "the highlight" of "I Do Do" was Jenna discovering Paul dressing up as Cher. TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
Not all reviews were positive. Television columnist Alan Sepiwall for HitFix wrote that the finale had "funny throwaway lines and moments" but that overall "it was another largely flat episode, and one that leaned too heavily on the guest stars." Callie Carmichael of 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...
was less positive, writing that "I Do Do" fell "a bit flat", and concluded "As a rule of thumb, sitcoms usually fall short when you take the characters out of their element, and this one definitely did with three weddings in three separate places." Eleanor Barkhorn from The Atlantic had issues with the plot twists, citing that they would not "bode well for the future of the series." She explained that Jack and Avery having a child was "problematic", observing that it puts a "relatively definite end" to the sexual tension between Liz and Jack that occurred in the show's first season
30 Rock (season 1)
The first season of the television comedy series 30 Rock originally aired between October 11, 2006 and April 26, 2007 on NBC in the United States...
. In addition, Barkhorn noted that Damon's character was a "great match" for Tina Fey's Liz, but believed that the relationship between the two would not last.