The Moms
Encyclopedia
"The Moms" is the twentieth episode of the fourth season
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
, and the 78th overall episode of the series. It was written by co-producer Kay Cannon
and co-show runner
and executive producer Robert Carlock
. The episode was directed by co-executive producer John Riggi
. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) network in the United States on May 6, 2010. Guest stars in "The Moms" include Buzz Aldrin
, John Anderson, Elizabeth Banks
, Kyoko Bruguera, Will Ferrell
, Anita Gillette
, Jan Hooks
, Cheyenne Jackson
, Patti LuPone
, Novella Nelson
, and Elaine Stritch
.
In the episode, the fictitious show The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan (TGS) celebrate the Mother's Day
holiday by having the mothers of its cast and staff (Bruguera, Gillette, Hooks, LuPone, Nelson, and Stritch) visit. Meanwhile, Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) must deal with a visit from his mother Colleen Donaghy (Stritch) who begins to meddle in his relationships with Avery Jessup (Banks) and Nancy Donovan (Julianne Moore
).
"The Moms" received generally positive reviews from television critics. According to the Nielsen Media Research
, the episode was watched by 5.420 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.6 rating/7 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. For her performance in this episode, Elaine Stritch received a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination in the category for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
(Tina Fey
), the head writer of the TGS with Tracy Jordan show, brings her boss Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) a budget approval on the show's planned Mother's Day
episode by gathering around its cast and staff mothers. Liz reminds Jack that Mother's Day is coming up, prompting Jack to realize he forgot to send his mother Colleen Donaghy (Elaine Stritch
) flowers and informs his office assistant Jonathan (Maulik Pancholy
) to send her flowers, however, Colleen is waiting outside Jack's office door. Colleen's real reason for visiting her son is that she learned from her friend in Florida that Jack is dating Nancy Donovan (Julianne Moore
), a recent divorcée, and a woman who happens to be Jack's high school sweetheart. During dinner, Colleen does not bring Nancy up, but tells Jack she knows about his involvement with CNBC
host Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks
) after an awkward encounter between Avery and Jack in an elevator with Colleen present; because of the encounter, Colleen knows that Avery and Jack are sleeping together. Colleen is appalled that Jack is dating two women at the same time, and demands that he end it and make a choice between Nancy and Avery.
While trying on her bridesmaid's dress in the TGS fitting room, Colleen, Sylvia Rossitano (Patti LuPone
), and Verna Maroney (Jan Hooks
) criticize Liz for not being married by now as she is in her late thirties, but Liz does not care what they think. Later, Liz has a conversation with her mother Margaret Lemon (Anita Gillette
) regarding Liz being single. During their conversation, Margaret reveals that her true love was Buzz Aldrin
and not Liz's father Dick Lemon (Buck Henry
), which shocks Liz. She tells Jack about what her mother has revealed to her and ponders why her mother did not choose to be with Buzz. Jack offers to introduce her to Buzz with Liz accepting, and wanting to find out what her mother missed out on. During their meet, Buzz confesses that it was a good decision that Margaret did not stay with him as he spent many of his years as an alcoholic. After her encounter with Buzz, Liz tells her mother that she respects the decision she made by not ending up with Buzz.
At the same time, Verna visits Jack in hopes of getting the rest of the money he promised to give her in the episode "Verna
"—as Jack paid her off to be a good mother to her daughter Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
) and to visit her daughter on a regular basis—but Jack will give her the rest of the money once he believes Jenna is happy around her. While discussing what to wear for the Mother's Day episode, Verna suggests that Jenna wear an outfit that she made, but Jenna does not want to. Nonetheless, Verna and Jenna make up and wear each other's clothes on the broadcast. Meanwhile, TGS producer Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit
) learns that Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) does not know where his mother is, so he decides to cast actress Novella Nelson
to be his mother for the Mother's Day episode. Tracy and Novella have a dislike to one another, however, the two make amends with each other and sing together on the holiday episode.
and co-show runner
and executive producer Robert Carlock
. The episode was directed by 30 Rock co-executive producer and staff writer John Riggi
. This was Cannon's seventh writing credit, and Carlock's fifteenth penned episode. This was Riggi's third directed episode for the series after "Goodbye, My Friend
" and "The Problem Solvers
". "The Moms" originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 6, 2010, as the twentieth episode of the show's fourth season
and the 78th overall episode of the series. This episode of 30 Rock was filmed on March 5 and March 10, 2010.
Actresses Anita Gillette, Jan Hooks, Patti LuPone, and Elaine Stritch reprised their roles as Margaret Lemon, Verna Maroney, Sylvia Rossitano, and Colleen Donaghy, respectively, the mothers of the characters Liz Lemon, Jenna Maroney, Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander
), and Jack Donaghy, respectively. In addition, actress Novella Nelson guest starred as herself as Tracy Jordan's fake "mother" for the first time. Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin played himself in the episode as it is revealed that he was in a relationship with Liz's mother. In an interview with TV Guide
in discussion of his guest spot, Aldrin said "That was wonderful, carrying on a conversation with very professional actors I greatly admired. I felt very honored to be paired up with something that also has another connection to me. [...] That was a lot of fun." Aldrin revealed that when first notified about the guest appearance he had to "think about it a little bit", and he mistook 30 Rock with the show 3rd Rock from the Sun
, a program that previously aired on NBC.
The show made reference of Jack's love triangle storyline with CNBC host Avery Jessup and his high school sweetheart Nancy Donovan, played by actresses Elizabeth Banks and Julianne Moore, respectively. This plot was first introduced in the April 22, 2010, episode "Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter
". The love triangle dilemma would continue throughout the season. Moore was announced as a love interest for Alec Baldwin's Jack in November 2009, while Banks' guest spot as a love interest for the Jack character was confirmed in December 2009. Actor Cheyenne Jackson
made his sixth appearance as his 30 Rock character Danny Baker. In this episode, Danny introduces his mother Miho (Kyoko Bruguera) to J.D. Lutz (John Lutz
) and Lutz tells Danny that he had no idea he was adopted as Miho is Asian and Danny is not. Actor John Anderson made his third appearance on the show and was credited as Astronaut Mike Dexter, an individual whom Liz considers to be her imaginary perfect husband. During a flashback of her younger years, Margaret—played by Tina Fey—is walking with a man named "Ed"—played by Anderson—later revealed that "Ed" was Buzz Aldrin, her first love.
Comedian actor Will Ferrell
had a brief appearance in "The Moms". In the beginning of the episode, Liz tells Jack that NBC wants TGS to have a Mother's Day themed episode after the network received criticism for re-airing the offensive action drama Bitch Hunter. In a clip, Ferrell—as the character Shane Hunter—says "Put the mimosas down, bitch!". 30 Rock staff writer Jack Burditt
and Mad Men
creator Matthew Weiner
are credited as the writers of that Bitch Hunter episode. This was Ferrell's second appearance as Shane Hunter having first appeared as the character in "Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter". Ferrell has appeared in the main cast of Saturday Night Live
(SNL), a weekly sketch comedy series which airs on NBC in the United States. Fey was the head writer on SNL from 1999 until 2006.
. When Pete tells Tracy that actress Novella Nelson will be his "mother", Tracy says he had his sights on actress Phylicia Rashād
or professional tennis player Serena Williams
to be his "mother". When Liz learns that her mother could have been an astronaut's wife, Margaret explains that it was not that simple as she had just graduated from secretary school and got a job as a secretary at Sterling Cooper
. The latter is a fictional advertising agency on the AMC program Mad Men
. In addition, actor Jon Hamm, who plays the lead role on Mad Men, has had a recurring role on 30 Rock as a love interest for Tina Fey's character. Later, Liz gets angry at her mother's admission of not marrying Buzz Aldrin and tells her that actress Laura Linney
"could've played you in the HBO original movie Moon Wives."
. It received a 2.6 rating/7 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic, meaning that 2.6 percent of all people in that group, and 7 percent of all people from that group watching television at the time, watched the episode. This was a decrease from the previous episode, "Argus
", which was watched by 5.439 million households million American viewers. Elaine Stritch received a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards
for her performance in this episode, but lost it to actress Betty White
for hosting SNL.
IGN
contributor Robert Canning gave the episode an 8.7 out of 10 rating saying he liked all the mothers coming back and loved Buzz Aldrin's appearance, writing that despite Aldrin not being a great actor "he had enough good lines to overcome this short fall." The A.V. Club
s Todd VerDan Werff gave "The Moms" episode a B grade rating, noting "...I just liked the episode for having all of the characters have their moms wandering around." Entertainment Weekly
contributor Emily Exton gave the episode a positive review, writing that it was fun to see "the resemblances between all the moms and their kids" and enjoyed Will Ferrell's cameo here. At the beginning of his review, Adam Mersel of TV Guide
said that this episode was not funny and was "amused, a bit confused, and left wanting more." After recapping the episode he said that he took his comments back, explaining that the episode "did have laughs." Television columnist Alan Sepiwall for HitFix wrote this episode of 30 Rock "wasn't a very funny episode of the show ... yet it did some nice things in trying to pull Liz and some of the other characters back into reality." Sepinwall commented that Tracy and Jenna's stories with their mothers were "nice grounded moments for the show's two broadest main characters, and the sort of thing 30 Rock needs to do with them a few times a season." Bob Sassone
of AOL
's TV Squad liked this episode better than the previous episode "Argus", enjoyed Elaine Stritch's return as Jack's mother, and that Tracy's story with Novella Nelson was "actually well done", explaining that his situation makes sense in the TGS world. The Houston Press
Daniel Carlson wrote that "The Moms" was "fun but lighter than air, content to string together a mild plot with a series of good jokes and callbacks." Nick Catucci for New York
magazine was positive about the episode, and reported that Tracy and Novella Nelson had the best chemistry of the night.
Time
contributor James Poniewozik
noted that "The Moms" had a lot of potential, explaining that the return of the television character's mothers "[had] the ability to bring out the insecure children in their respective grown kids. But rather than advance any themes or storylines of the show, the episode mostly repeated them", regarding Jack's love triangle. Sean Gandert of Paste
said that Jack's relationship troubles in choosing between Nancy and Avery "feels like it's been dragging on forever." Nonetheless, Gandert commented Liz's story "was the real heart of the episode."
The return of Bitch Hunter received positive reviews from television critics. Exton said "thank you NBC for re-airing Bitch Hunter, more Will Ferrell for us!" Canning opined that 30 Rock "may want to be careful of overdoing this funny but one-note joke." Carlson enjoyed the reappearance, noting it was "a welcome touch."
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 78th overall episode of the series. It was written by co-producer Kay Cannon
Kay Cannon
Kay Cannon is an American television writer and actress who is best known for her work as an Emmy nominated writer and producer for the NBC series 30 Rock.-Biography:...
and co-show runner
Show runner
Showrunner is a term of art originating in the United States and Canadian television industry referring to the person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television seriesalthough such persons generally are credited as an executive producer...
and executive producer Robert Carlock
Robert Carlock
Robert Carlock is an American television producer and screenwriter most widely known for his work as a writer for several NBC television comedies, particularly his work with Tina Fey as show runners for 30 Rock.-Early years:...
. The episode was directed by co-executive producer John Riggi
John Riggi
John Riggi is an American television writer, producer, director, and actor who has worked on various television shows.He has worked as a writer on the NBC comedy series 30 Rock...
. 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) network in the United States on May 6, 2010. Guest stars in "The Moms" include Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin is an American mechanical engineer, retired United States Air Force pilot and astronaut who was the Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing in history...
, John Anderson, 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...
, Kyoko Bruguera, Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
, Anita Gillette
Anita Gillette
Anita Gillette is an American actress, most notable for her work on Broadway and as a celebrity guest on various game shows....
, Jan Hooks
Jan Hooks
Janet V. "Jan" Hooks is an American actress and comedienne best known for her work on NBC's Saturday Night Live , on which she appeared from 1986 to 1991...
, 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...
, Patti LuPone
Patti LuPone
Patti Ann LuPone is an American singer and actress, known for her Tony Award-winning performances as Eva Perón in the 1979 stage musical Evita and as Madame Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, and for her Olivier Award-winning performance as Fantine in the original London cast of Les...
, Novella Nelson
Novella Nelson
Novella Nelson is an American actress and singer.Nelson was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Evelyn Hines and James Nelson. Her career in films did not begin until she was approaching middle age, with a small part in 1978's An Unmarried Woman. Over the next thirty years, she continued...
, and Elaine Stritch
Elaine Stritch
Elaine Stritch is an American actress and vocalist. She has appeared in numerous stage plays and musicals, feature films, and many television programs...
.
In the episode, the fictitious show The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan (TGS) celebrate the Mother's Day
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...
holiday by having the mothers of its cast and staff (Bruguera, Gillette, Hooks, LuPone, Nelson, and Stritch) visit. 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...
) must deal with a visit from his mother Colleen Donaghy (Stritch) who begins to meddle in his relationships with Avery Jessup (Banks) and 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....
).
"The Moms" received generally positive reviews from 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...
, the episode was watched by 5.420 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.6 rating/7 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. For her performance in this episode, Elaine Stritch 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 Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
Plot
Liz LemonLiz 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...
), the head writer of the TGS with Tracy Jordan show, brings 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...
) a budget approval on the show's planned Mother's Day
Mother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...
episode by gathering around its cast and staff mothers. Liz reminds Jack that Mother's Day is coming up, prompting Jack to realize he forgot to send his mother Colleen Donaghy (Elaine Stritch
Elaine Stritch
Elaine Stritch is an American actress and vocalist. She has appeared in numerous stage plays and musicals, feature films, and many television programs...
) flowers and informs his office assistant Jonathan (Maulik Pancholy
Maulik Pancholy
Maulik Pancholy is an American actor. He is best known for his recurring role as Sanjay on Weeds from 2005 to present, and his role as Jonathan on 30 Rock, which he has played since the show began in 2006....
) to send her flowers, however, Colleen is waiting outside Jack's office door. Colleen's real reason for visiting her son is that she learned from her friend in Florida that Jack is dating 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....
), a recent divorcée, and a woman who happens to be Jack's high school sweetheart. During dinner, Colleen does not bring Nancy up, but tells Jack she knows about his involvement with CNBC
CNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
host 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...
) after an awkward encounter between Avery and Jack in an elevator with Colleen present; because of the encounter, Colleen knows that Avery and Jack are sleeping together. Colleen is appalled that Jack is dating two women at the same time, and demands that he end it and make a choice between Nancy and Avery.
While trying on her bridesmaid's dress in the TGS fitting room, Colleen, Sylvia Rossitano (Patti LuPone
Patti LuPone
Patti Ann LuPone is an American singer and actress, known for her Tony Award-winning performances as Eva Perón in the 1979 stage musical Evita and as Madame Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, and for her Olivier Award-winning performance as Fantine in the original London cast of Les...
), and Verna Maroney (Jan Hooks
Jan Hooks
Janet V. "Jan" Hooks is an American actress and comedienne best known for her work on NBC's Saturday Night Live , on which she appeared from 1986 to 1991...
) criticize Liz for not being married by now as she is in her late thirties, but Liz does not care what they think. Later, Liz has a conversation with her mother Margaret Lemon (Anita Gillette
Anita Gillette
Anita Gillette is an American actress, most notable for her work on Broadway and as a celebrity guest on various game shows....
) regarding Liz being single. During their conversation, Margaret reveals that her true love was Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin is an American mechanical engineer, retired United States Air Force pilot and astronaut who was the Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing in history...
and not Liz's father Dick Lemon (Buck Henry
Buck Henry
Henry Zuckerman, better known as Buck Henry , is an American actor, writer, film director, and television director.-Early life:...
), which shocks Liz. She tells Jack about what her mother has revealed to her and ponders why her mother did not choose to be with Buzz. Jack offers to introduce her to Buzz with Liz accepting, and wanting to find out what her mother missed out on. During their meet, Buzz confesses that it was a good decision that Margaret did not stay with him as he spent many of his years as an alcoholic. After her encounter with Buzz, Liz tells her mother that she respects the decision she made by not ending up with Buzz.
At the same time, Verna visits Jack in hopes of getting the rest of the money he promised to give her in the episode "Verna
Verna (30 Rock)
"Verna" is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 70th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by co-executive producer Ron Weiner and directed by series producer Don Scardino. It originally aired on the National...
"—as Jack paid her off to be a good mother to her daughter 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...
) and to visit her daughter on a regular basis—but Jack will give her the rest of the money once he believes Jenna is happy around her. While discussing what to wear for the Mother's Day episode, Verna suggests that Jenna wear an outfit that she made, but Jenna does not want to. Nonetheless, Verna and Jenna make up and wear each other's clothes on the broadcast. Meanwhile, 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,...
) learns that 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:...
) does not know where his mother is, so he decides to cast actress Novella Nelson
Novella Nelson
Novella Nelson is an American actress and singer.Nelson was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Evelyn Hines and James Nelson. Her career in films did not begin until she was approaching middle age, with a small part in 1978's An Unmarried Woman. Over the next thirty years, she continued...
to be his mother for the Mother's Day episode. Tracy and Novella have a dislike to one another, however, the two make amends with each other and sing together on the holiday episode.
Production
"The Moms" was written by co-producer Kay CannonKay Cannon
Kay Cannon is an American television writer and actress who is best known for her work as an Emmy nominated writer and producer for the NBC series 30 Rock.-Biography:...
and co-show runner
Show runner
Showrunner is a term of art originating in the United States and Canadian television industry referring to the person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television seriesalthough such persons generally are credited as an executive producer...
and executive producer Robert Carlock
Robert Carlock
Robert Carlock is an American television producer and screenwriter most widely known for his work as a writer for several NBC television comedies, particularly his work with Tina Fey as show runners for 30 Rock.-Early years:...
. The episode was directed by 30 Rock co-executive producer and staff writer John Riggi
John Riggi
John Riggi is an American television writer, producer, director, and actor who has worked on various television shows.He has worked as a writer on the NBC comedy series 30 Rock...
. This was Cannon's seventh writing credit, and Carlock's fifteenth penned episode. This was Riggi's third directed episode for the series after "Goodbye, My Friend
Goodbye, My Friend
"Goodbye, My Friend" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 49th overall episode of the series. It was written by co-executive producer Ron Weiner and directed by co-executive producer John Riggi. The episode originally aired on the...
" and "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...
". "The Moms" originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 6, 2010, as the twentieth 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 78th overall episode of the series. This episode of 30 Rock was filmed on March 5 and March 10, 2010.
Actresses Anita Gillette, Jan Hooks, Patti LuPone, and Elaine Stritch reprised their roles as Margaret Lemon, Verna Maroney, Sylvia Rossitano, and Colleen Donaghy, respectively, the mothers of the characters Liz Lemon, Jenna Maroney, Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander
Judah Friedlander
Judah Friedlander is an American actor and comedian, known for his trademark trucker hats, oversized glasses and unkempt appearance, which he retains in many of his screen roles.-Early life:...
), and Jack Donaghy, respectively. In addition, actress Novella Nelson guest starred as herself as Tracy Jordan's fake "mother" for the first time. Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin played himself in the episode as it is revealed that he was in a relationship with Liz's mother. In an interview with 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...
in discussion of his guest spot, Aldrin said "That was wonderful, carrying on a conversation with very professional actors I greatly admired. I felt very honored to be paired up with something that also has another connection to me. [...] That was a lot of fun." Aldrin revealed that when first notified about the guest appearance he had to "think about it a little bit", and he mistook 30 Rock with the show 3rd Rock from the Sun
3rd Rock from the Sun
3rd Rock from the Sun is an American sitcom that aired from 1996 to 2001 on NBC. The show is about four extraterrestrials who are on an expedition to Earth, which they consider to be a very insignificant planet...
, a program that previously aired on NBC.
The show made reference of Jack's love triangle storyline with CNBC host Avery Jessup and his high school sweetheart Nancy Donovan, played by actresses Elizabeth Banks and Julianne Moore, respectively. This plot was first introduced in the April 22, 2010, episode "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...
". The love triangle dilemma would continue throughout the season. Moore was announced as a love interest for Alec Baldwin's Jack in November 2009, while Banks' guest spot as a love interest for the Jack character was confirmed in December 2009. 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...
made his sixth appearance as his 30 Rock character Danny Baker. In this episode, Danny introduces his mother Miho (Kyoko Bruguera) to J.D. Lutz (John Lutz
John Lutz (television writer)
John Lutz is an American actor, writer and comedian.-Biography:The son of a Lutheran minister, Lutz grew up in suburban Chicago and Detroit. He attended Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, majoring in psychology and minoring in...
) and Lutz tells Danny that he had no idea he was adopted as Miho is Asian and Danny is not. Actor John Anderson made his third appearance on the show and was credited as Astronaut Mike Dexter, an individual whom Liz considers to be her imaginary perfect husband. During a flashback of her younger years, Margaret—played by Tina Fey—is walking with a man named "Ed"—played by Anderson—later revealed that "Ed" was Buzz Aldrin, her first love.
Comedian actor Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
had a brief appearance in "The Moms". In the beginning of the episode, Liz tells Jack that NBC wants TGS to have a Mother's Day themed episode after the network received criticism for re-airing the offensive action drama Bitch Hunter. In a clip, Ferrell—as the character Shane Hunter—says "Put the mimosas down, bitch!". 30 Rock staff writer Jack Burditt
Jack Burditt
Jack Burditt is an American producer and screenwriter who has worked on many television shows.He has worked as a writer on the NBC comedy series 30 Rock...
and Mad Men
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
creator Matthew Weiner
Matthew Weiner
Matthew Weiner is an American writer, director and producer of television drama. He is the creator, executive producer, head writer, and show runner of the AMC television series Mad Men. He is also noted for his work on the HBO series The Sopranos, on which he served as a writer and producer...
are credited as the writers of that Bitch Hunter episode. This was Ferrell's second appearance as Shane Hunter having first appeared as the character in "Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter". Ferrell has appeared in the main cast of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
(SNL), a weekly sketch comedy series which airs on NBC in the United States. Fey was the head writer on SNL from 1999 until 2006.
Cultural references
Verna confesses that she once sexually assaulted former professional basketball player Scottie PippenScottie Pippen
Scottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
. When Pete tells Tracy that actress Novella Nelson will be his "mother", Tracy says he had his sights on actress Phylicia Rashād
Phylicia Rashad
Phylicia Rashād is an American Tony Award winning actress and singer, best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show....
or professional tennis player Serena Williams
Serena Williams
Serena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player and a former world no. 1. The Women's Tennis Association has ranked her world no. 1 in singles on five separate occasions. She became the world no. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002 and regained this ranking for the fifth time on...
to be his "mother". When Liz learns that her mother could have been an astronaut's wife, Margaret explains that it was not that simple as she had just graduated from secretary school and got a job as a secretary at Sterling Cooper
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
. The latter is a fictional advertising agency on the AMC program Mad Men
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
. In addition, actor Jon Hamm, who plays the lead role on Mad Men, has had a recurring role on 30 Rock as a love interest for Tina Fey's character. Later, Liz gets angry at her mother's admission of not marrying Buzz Aldrin and tells her that actress Laura Linney
Laura Linney
Laura Leggett Linney is an American actress of film, television, and theatre. Linney has won three Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has been nominated for three times for an Academy Award and once for a BAFTA Award...
"could've played you in the HBO original movie Moon Wives."
Reception
In its original American broadcast, "The Moms" was watched by 5.420 million households, 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...
. It received a 2.6 rating/7 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic, meaning that 2.6 percent of all people in that group, and 7 percent of all people from that group watching television at the time, watched the episode. This was a decrease from the previous episode, "Argus
Argus (30 Rock)
"Argus" is the nineteenth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 77th overall episode of the series. It was written by 30 Rock producers Dylan Morgan, Paula Pell, and Josh Siegal. The episode was directed by co-executive producer and show composer...
", which was watched by 5.439 million households million American viewers. Elaine Stritch 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 Guest 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 performance in this episode, but lost it to actress Betty White
Betty White
Betty White Ludden , better known as Betty White, is an American actress, comedienne, singer, author, and former game show personality. With a career spanning seven decades since 1939, she is best known to modern audiences for her television roles as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and...
for hosting SNL.
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 gave the episode an 8.7 out of 10 rating saying he liked all the mothers coming back and loved Buzz Aldrin's appearance, writing that despite Aldrin not being a great actor "he had enough good lines to overcome this short fall." 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...
s Todd VerDan Werff gave "The Moms" episode a B grade rating, noting "...I just liked the episode for having all of the characters have their moms wandering around." 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 gave the episode a positive review, writing that it was fun to see "the resemblances between all the moms and their kids" and enjoyed Will Ferrell's cameo here. At the beginning of his review, Adam Mersel of 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...
said that this episode was not funny and was "amused, a bit confused, and left wanting more." After recapping the episode he said that he took his comments back, explaining that the episode "did have laughs." Television columnist Alan Sepiwall for HitFix wrote this episode of 30 Rock "wasn't a very funny episode of the show ... yet it did some nice things in trying to pull Liz and some of the other characters back into reality." Sepinwall commented that Tracy and Jenna's stories with their mothers were "nice grounded moments for the show's two broadest main characters, and the sort of thing 30 Rock needs to do with them a few times a season." 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 liked this episode better than the previous episode "Argus", enjoyed Elaine Stritch's return as Jack's mother, and that Tracy's story with Novella Nelson was "actually well done", explaining that his situation makes sense in the TGS world. The Houston Press
Houston Press
The Houston Press is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in Downtown Houston....
Daniel Carlson wrote that "The Moms" was "fun but lighter than air, content to string together a mild plot with a series of good jokes and callbacks." 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 was positive about the episode, and reported that Tracy and Novella Nelson had the best chemistry of the night.
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...
noted that "The Moms" had a lot of potential, explaining that the return of the television character's mothers "[had] the ability to bring out the insecure children in their respective grown kids. But rather than advance any themes or storylines of the show, the episode mostly repeated them", regarding Jack's love triangle. Sean Gandert of Paste
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:...
said that Jack's relationship troubles in choosing between Nancy and Avery "feels like it's been dragging on forever." Nonetheless, Gandert commented Liz's story "was the real heart of the episode."
The return of Bitch Hunter received positive reviews from television critics. Exton said "thank you NBC for re-airing Bitch Hunter, more Will Ferrell for us!" Canning opined that 30 Rock "may want to be careful of overdoing this funny but one-note joke." Carlson enjoyed the reappearance, noting it was "a welcome touch."