Plan B (30 Rock)
Encyclopedia
"Plan B" is the eighteenth episode of the fifth season
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
, and the 98th overall episode of the series. It was directed by the show's composer and producer (and Tina Fey's
husband) Jeff Richmond
, and written by Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) network in the United States on March 24, 2011. Guest stars include Ken Howard
, Aaron Sorkin
and Will Arnett
.
In the episode, Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) discovers that without Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
), NBC is putting TGS on a forced hiatus. However, when she passes on the news to the cast and crew, they all assume that the show will be cancelled
and turn to their backup plans, leading Liz to wonder about her own. Meanwhile, Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) is forced to hire his nemesis Devon Banks in order to turn around his disastrous acquisition of TWINKS, a network for gay
men.
According to Nielsen Media Research
, "Plan B" was watched by 4.359 million viewers during its original broadcast and received a 1.9 rating/5 share among adults aged 18–49.
(Alec Baldwin
) calls Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) to his office to inform her that, whilst its primary star Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) is in Africa
, The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan (TGS) will have be to placed on a forced hiatus. Initially, Liz herself is optimistic and believes that Jack will be doing all that he can to save the show. However, when her cast and crew hear the news, they quickly scramble to find other employment. Concerned, Liz decides to contact her agent, Simon (Josh Fadem) to see if he can get her any other work.
Jack gets Liz an interview with Nick Lachey
as a writer for The Sing-Off
, where she meets Aaron Sorkin
, who, in a walk and talk
sequence, advises her that writing is a dying art and then proceeds to suck up to Lachey himself. Ultimately, Liz is unsuccessful in getting the job, and is therefore relegated to trying to save TGS, which even Kenneth Parcell
(Jack McBrayer
) has lost all hope of rescuing.
Meanwhile, Jack Donaghy
has recently acquired a television network for gay
men (TWINKS) and it has turned out to be a disastrous ratings failure. Kabletown boss Hank Hooper (Ken Howard
) is unhappy with the failure and takes Jack out for dinner to warn him that unless he knows where to find a gay version of himself, he should drop the network altogether. At that point, Jack realizes that there is a gay version of himself, and calls upon his nemesis Devon Banks for help. As it turns out, Banks has fallen from grace with the high society and is living in Brooklyn
with his partner and three "gaybies".
Eventually, Liz's attempts to save TGS are met with a glimmer of hope when Kenneth informs her that when he talks to Tracy on webcam, he sometimes orders pizza from the same restaurant as she does, which leads her to the realisation that he's still in New York City
. Jack's own plan backfires enormously when Devon Banks brings one of his "gaybies" to work and Hank Hooper, a family man himself, takes a liking to him and promotes him. However, Devon has an epiphany and realises that he loves his children too much to leave them every day, so he turns down Hooper's offer. Whilst victorious, Jack realizes that he hasn't been spending enough time with his own baby daughter, Liddy.
, this episode of 30 Rock was watched by 4.359 million households in its original American broadcast. It earned a 1.9 rating/5 share in the 18–49 demographic. This means that it was seen by 1.9 percent of all 18–49 years olds, and 5 percent of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. The figure was an improvement on the previous episode, Queen of Jordan
, which was seen by 4.192 million households.
Daemon's TV critic Ciara Moyna spoke very positively about the episode, commenting that "30 Rock is far more effective when it is satirizing social issues rather than just shooting out punchline after punchline". Caitlan Smith of The Atlantic particularly praised the appearance of Aaron Sorkin, calling it "one of the most unexpected and excellent cameos this year". Dan Forcella of TVFanatic also praised Sorkin's appearance, as well as that of Ken Howard, whom he described as "a joy to watch on screen". However, he criticised the primary storyline, commenting that "Liz acting frantic is never really that funny".
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...
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 98th overall episode of the series. It was directed by the show's composer and producer (and Tina Fey's
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...
husband) Jeff Richmond
Jeff Richmond
Jeffrey "Jeff" Wayne Richmond is an American composer, actor and television producer. Richmond currently produces and composes the music for 30 Rock, a sitcom created by and starring his wife Tina Fey.-Career:...
, and written by Josh Siegal & Dylan Morgan. 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 March 24, 2011. Guest stars include Ken Howard
Ken Howard
Kenneth Joseph "Ken" Howard, Jr. is an American actor, best known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow...
, Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Benjamin Sorkin is an Academy and Emmy award winning American screenwriter, producer, and playwright, whose works include A Few Good Men, The American President, The West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Social Network, and Moneyball.After graduating from Syracuse...
and Will Arnett
Will Arnett
William Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
.
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:...
(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...
) discovers that without 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:...
), NBC is putting TGS on a forced hiatus. However, when she passes on the news to the cast and crew, they all assume that the show will be cancelled
Cancellation (television)
In television, cancellation refers to the termination of a program by a network, typically because of low viewership and/or unfavourable critical reviews. Another reason why television programs can be cancelled is to make room for new television programs...
and turn to their backup plans, leading Liz to wonder about her own. 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....
(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...
) is forced to hire his nemesis Devon Banks in order to turn around his disastrous acquisition of TWINKS, a network for gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
men.
According to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
, "Plan B" was watched by 4.359 million viewers during its original broadcast and received a 1.9 rating/5 share among adults aged 18–49.
Plot
Jack DonaghyJack 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...
) calls 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...
) to his office to inform her that, whilst its primary 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:...
) is in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan (TGS) will have be to placed on a forced hiatus. Initially, Liz herself is optimistic and believes that Jack will be doing all that he can to save the show. However, when her cast and crew hear the news, they quickly scramble to find other employment. Concerned, Liz decides to contact her agent, Simon (Josh Fadem) to see if he can get her any other work.
Jack gets Liz an interview with Nick Lachey
Nick Lachey
Nicholas Scott "Nick" Lachey is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and television personality. Lachey rose to fame as a member of the boy band 98 Degrees. He later starred in the reality television series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica with his then-wife, Jessica Simpson. He has released...
as a writer for The Sing-Off
The Sing-Off
The Sing-Off is an American television singing competition featuring a cappella groups. It premiered on NBC on December 14, 2009, and is produced by Sony Pictures Television....
, where she meets Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Benjamin Sorkin is an Academy and Emmy award winning American screenwriter, producer, and playwright, whose works include A Few Good Men, The American President, The West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The Social Network, and Moneyball.After graduating from Syracuse...
, who, in a walk and talk
Walk and talk
Walk and talk is a distinctive storytelling-technique used in filmmaking and television production in which a number of characters have a conversation en route. The most basic form of walk and talk involves a walking character that is then joined by another character. On their way to their...
sequence, advises her that writing is a dying art and then proceeds to suck up to Lachey himself. Ultimately, Liz is unsuccessful in getting the job, and is therefore relegated to trying to save TGS, which even 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"...
) has lost all hope of rescuing.
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....
has recently acquired a television network for gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
men (TWINKS) and it has turned out to be a disastrous ratings failure. Kabletown boss Hank Hooper (Ken Howard
Ken Howard
Kenneth Joseph "Ken" Howard, Jr. is an American actor, best known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow...
) is unhappy with the failure and takes Jack out for dinner to warn him that unless he knows where to find a gay version of himself, he should drop the network altogether. At that point, Jack realizes that there is a gay version of himself, and calls upon his nemesis Devon Banks for help. As it turns out, Banks has fallen from grace with the high society and is living in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
with his partner and three "gaybies".
Eventually, Liz's attempts to save TGS are met with a glimmer of hope when Kenneth informs her that when he talks to Tracy on webcam, he sometimes orders pizza from the same restaurant as she does, which leads her to the realisation that he's still in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Jack's own plan backfires enormously when Devon Banks brings one of his "gaybies" to work and Hank Hooper, a family man himself, takes a liking to him and promotes him. However, Devon has an epiphany and realises that he loves his children too much to leave them every day, so he turns down Hooper's offer. Whilst victorious, Jack realizes that he hasn't been spending enough time with his own baby daughter, Liddy.
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...
, this episode of 30 Rock was watched by 4.359 million households in its original American broadcast. It earned a 1.9 rating/5 share in the 18–49 demographic. This means that it was seen by 1.9 percent of all 18–49 years olds, and 5 percent of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. The figure was an improvement on the previous episode, Queen of Jordan
Queen of Jordan (30 Rock)
"Queen of Jordan" is the seventeenth episode of the fifth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 97th overall episode of the series. It was "written" by Tracey Wigfield and directed by Ken Whittingham. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company ...
, which was seen by 4.192 million households.
Daemon's TV critic Ciara Moyna spoke very positively about the episode, commenting that "30 Rock is far more effective when it is satirizing social issues rather than just shooting out punchline after punchline". Caitlan Smith of The Atlantic particularly praised the appearance of Aaron Sorkin, calling it "one of the most unexpected and excellent cameos this year". Dan Forcella of TVFanatic also praised Sorkin's appearance, as well as that of Ken Howard, whom he described as "a joy to watch on screen". However, he criticised the primary storyline, commenting that "Liz acting frantic is never really that funny".