Verna (30 Rock)
Encyclopedia
"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 Broadcasting Company
(NBC) network in the United States on February 4, 2010. Jan Hooks
guest stars as the titular character of this episode.
In the episode, Jenna Maroney
's (Jane Krakowski
) mother Verna (Hooks) come to visit her, and Jenna turns to Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) for help. At the same time, Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander
) moves in with Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) temporarily, and they both decide to make a pact to give up their bad habits.
"Verna" has received generally positive reception from television critics. According to the Nielsen ratings
, the episode was watched by 5.93 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.9 rating/8 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic.
(Jane Krakowski
) learns that her mother, Verna (Jan Hooks
), has come to visit her. Jenna does not want to see Verna, though, as she knows that her visit will lead to her asking Jenna for money; so Jenna turns to her boss, Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
), for help. Jack—who also does not get along with his mother Colleen Donaghy (Elaine Stritch
)—shows Jenna a presentation on how to deal with overbearing mothers. Jenna, however, ignores what Jack says and reconciles with her mother, making Jack convinced that Verna has an ulterior motive for making amends with Jenna. Later, his suspicions come true when Verna admits that she sneaked her way back into her daughter's life solely to convince her to star in a reality show featuring them both. Instead of letting Jenna know about her mother's true intentions, Jack pays Verna off to visit Jenna on a regular basis, letting Jenna believe her mother has changed her ways.
At the same time, Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) takes her staff writer, Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander
) in as a roommate, and they both decide to make a pact to give up their bad habits: Liz eating junk food
and Frank's smoking. As they continue living together, Liz is having a hard time adjusting to not eating junk food, and suspects that Frank is still smoking, due to his calm behavior during the situation. To catch him in the act, she decides to hide a recording video camera equipped with night vision
in her apartment. The next day, Liz shows the video to her staff writers, including Frank. However, instead of showing Frank smoking cigarettes, the footage shows Liz sleepwalking and eating large amounts of junk food, and eating the cigarettes. However, it also shows Frank having an affair with a much older cleaning lady, whom he calls "mommy"; thus embarrassing them both and breaking the pact.
and directed by series producer Don Scardino
. This episode was Weiner's sixth writing credit, having penned "Secrets and Lies
", "Señor Macho Solo
", "Goodbye, My Friend
", "Mamma Mia
", and "The Problem Solvers
". This was Scardino's twenty-fifth directed episode. "Verna" originally aired in the United States on February 4, 2010, on NBC as the twelfth episode of the show's fourth season
and the 70th overall episode of the series. This episode of 30 Rock was filmed on December 7, 2009.
Comedienne actress Jan Hooks, best known for appearing on Saturday Night Live
and 3rd Rock from the Sun
, guest starred as Verna Maroney, the mother of Jenna Maroney, played by Jane Krakowski. She would reprised her role as Verna in the May 6, 2010, episode "The Moms
". Hooks is eleven years older than Krakowski. Some television commentators have noted that Hooks appearing on 30 Rock was her first acting job since appearing in the 2004 comedy movie Jiminy Glick in Lalawood
.
The episode opens with Liz Lemon having a dream in which she is married to Jack Donaghy and is giving birth to their child. Since beginning, the series has occasionally hinted at a romantic relationship between Liz and Jack. In one episode, Jack passes Liz off as his live-in girlfriend to his ex-wife to make her jealous. In another episode, Jack's mother tells him that Liz is a perfect match for him, and in the same episode he has Liz listed as his emergency contact. In an April 2010 Esquire
interview, series creator Tina Fey said that one of the plots the show will never do is have Liz and Jack get together. "Let me put the Internet at ease: Liz and Jack will never be together." Alec Baldwin was asked if the two characters will ever hook-up, he responded "I sincerely doubt it, and I think the show is better off that way. Once they cross that line, all the tension goes out of those relationships. And I think the lesson we learned about both those characters is that they are married to their jobs and they are married to their work."
". Many television reviewers have noted that Jack's presentation on how to deal with overbearing mothers, given the acronym "ASQ" (Always Speak Quietly), was a reference to Baldwin's "ABC" (Always Be Closing) speech seen in the film Glengarry Glen Ross
(1992). The night vision
video that Liz shows to her writing staff, in which she is seen sleepwalking, ordering a pizza and eating large amounts of junk food, was a parody of the 2009 horror film Paranormal Activity.
system, "Verna" was watched by 5.93 million households in its original American broadcast. The rating was a 7 percent increase in viewership from the previous week's episode, "Winter Madness
", which was seen by 5.585 million American viewers. The show claimed a 2.9 rating/8 share in the 18–49 demographic, meaning that it was seen by 2.9 percent of all 18–49 years olds, and 8 percent of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast.
TV Squad's Bob Sassone
enjoyed Jan Hooks' appearance, and said that her role as Jenna's mother was "good casting." His only complaint was that this episode had nothing to do with The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan, the fictional show on 30 Rock, and hoped that no other characters have to stay at Liz's apartment. "Laughter wasn't constant during ['Verna'], but the direction it moved in kept interest even when jokes were sparse. That being said, some of the material ... were pretty great by even the show's lofty standards", said Paste
magazine's Sean Gandert. In his recap, Adam Mersel for TV Guide
was complimentary, writing it had "spot-on one-liners, witty pop culture references, and a hilarious guest-star in Jan Hooks", and that "Verna" became his favorite episode of the season. Nick Catucci for New York
magazine liked Liz and Frank's plot, noting that their bad habits featured here "culminated in the greatest few moments the show has had in some time." The A.V. Club
' s Nathan Rabin enjoyed this episode of 30 Rock, writing that the show "was firing on all cylinders. It was good for laughs aplenty but it also helped illuminate Jack's paternal relationship with Jenna, the source of some of Jenna's narcissistic craziness and the full measure of Jack's Oedipal hell." Margaret Lyons for Entertainment Weekly
deemed "Verna" a solid episode from the show. Time
contributor James Poniewozik
enjoyed Hooks' performance, and that it was good to see Jane Krakowski's Jenna "get a story that was not solely about her being an insecure ninny."
Not all reviews were positive. IGN
contributor Robert Canning gave the episode a 7.9 out of 10 rating, and said that Hooks' role as Jenna's mother "helped the half hour, but this Jenna-centric episode still didn't blow me away." He noted that the main plot had funny moments but "there wasn't much else to invest in." Overall, Canning reasoned that this episode was very much a stand-alone one "built for some good jokes, and not exactly focused on storytelling. [...] An episode like 'Verna' can still bring a lot of laughs, but you can't help but feel like it's missing that extra something." Television columnist Alan Sepinwall for The Star-Ledger
disliked both stories from "Verna", and wrote that it was a disappointing episode, and that it was "pretty weak overall." Meredith Blake, a contributor from the Los Angeles Times
, reported that despite Hooks' hilarious performance, the episode still felt a "little bit like filler", and that there "wasn't too much that was especially funny or memorable about it".
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 70th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by co-executive producer Ron Weiner
Ron Weiner
Ron Weiner is an American television writer. He has written for several shows, including 30 Rock, NewsRadio, Futurama, Arrested Development, Father of the Pride, and Help Me Help You....
and directed by series producer Don Scardino
Don Scardino
Don Scardino is an American television director and producer and a former actor.-Acting:Born in New York City, Scardino began his career as an actor. His first Broadway credit was as an understudy in The Playroom in 1965. Additional Broadway acting credits include Johnny No-Trump, Godspell, and...
. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
(NBC) network in the United States on February 4, 2010. 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...
guest stars as the titular character of this episode.
In the episode, 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...
) mother Verna (Hooks) come to visit her, and Jenna turns to 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...
) for help. At the same time, 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:...
) moves in with 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...
) temporarily, and they both decide to make a pact to give up their bad habits.
"Verna" has received generally positive reception from television critics. According to the Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, the episode was watched by 5.93 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.9 rating/8 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic.
Plot
Jenna MaroneyJenna 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...
) learns that her mother, Verna (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...
), has come to visit her. Jenna does not want to see Verna, though, as she knows that her visit will lead to her asking Jenna for money; so Jenna turns to 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...
), for help. Jack—who also does not get along with 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...
)—shows Jenna a presentation on how to deal with overbearing mothers. Jenna, however, ignores what Jack says and reconciles with her mother, making Jack convinced that Verna has an ulterior motive for making amends with Jenna. Later, his suspicions come true when Verna admits that she sneaked her way back into her daughter's life solely to convince her to star in a reality show featuring them both. Instead of letting Jenna know about her mother's true intentions, Jack pays Verna off to visit Jenna on a regular basis, letting Jenna believe her mother has changed her ways.
At the same time, 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...
) takes her staff writer, 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:...
) in as a roommate, and they both decide to make a pact to give up their bad habits: Liz eating junk food
Junk food
Junk food is an informal term applied to some foods that are perceived to have little or no nutritional value ; to products with nutritional value, but which also have ingredients considered unhealthy when regularly eaten; or to those considered unhealthy to consume at all...
and Frank's smoking. As they continue living together, Liz is having a hard time adjusting to not eating junk food, and suspects that Frank is still smoking, due to his calm behavior during the situation. To catch him in the act, she decides to hide a recording video camera equipped with night vision
Night vision
Night vision is the ability to see in low light conditions. Whether by biological or technological means, night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches: sufficient spectral range, and sufficient intensity range...
in her apartment. The next day, Liz shows the video to her staff writers, including Frank. However, instead of showing Frank smoking cigarettes, the footage shows Liz sleepwalking and eating large amounts of junk food, and eating the cigarettes. However, it also shows Frank having an affair with a much older cleaning lady, whom he calls "mommy"; thus embarrassing them both and breaking the pact.
Production
"Verna" was written by co-executive producer Ron WeinerRon Weiner
Ron Weiner is an American television writer. He has written for several shows, including 30 Rock, NewsRadio, Futurama, Arrested Development, Father of the Pride, and Help Me Help You....
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 episode was Weiner's sixth writing credit, having penned "Secrets and Lies
Secrets and Lies (30 Rock)
"Secrets and Lies" is the eighth episode of the second season of 30 Rock, and the twenty-ninth overall. It was written by Ron Weiner and directed by Michael Engler. The episode first aired on December 6, 2007 on the NBC network in the United States...
", "Señor Macho Solo
Señor Macho Solo
"Señor Macho Solo" is the seventh episode of the third season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 43rd overall episode of the series. It was written by co-executive producer Ron Weiner and directed by Beth McCarthy. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting...
", "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...
", "Mamma Mia
Mamma Mia (30 Rock)
"Mamma Mia" is the twenty-first episode of the third season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 57th overall episode of the series. It was written by co-executive producer Ron Weiner and directed by series producer Don Scardino. The episode originally aired on the National...
", 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...
". This was Scardino's twenty-fifth directed episode. "Verna" originally aired in the United States on February 4, 2010, on NBC as the twelfth 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 70th overall episode of the series. This episode of 30 Rock was filmed on December 7, 2009.
Comedienne actress Jan Hooks, best known for appearing on 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...
and 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...
, guest starred as Verna Maroney, the mother of Jenna Maroney, played by Jane Krakowski. She would reprised her role as Verna in the May 6, 2010, episode "The Moms
The Moms
"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...
". Hooks is eleven years older than Krakowski. Some television commentators have noted that Hooks appearing on 30 Rock was her first acting job since appearing in the 2004 comedy movie Jiminy Glick in Lalawood
Jiminy Glick in Lalawood
Jiminy Glick in Lalawood is a 2004 comedy film. It stars Martin Short as Jiminy Glick, a movie critic who is involved in a murder case at the Toronto International Film Festival.-Storyline:...
.
The episode opens with Liz Lemon having a dream in which she is married to Jack Donaghy and is giving birth to their child. Since beginning, the series has occasionally hinted at a romantic relationship between Liz and Jack. In one episode, Jack passes Liz off as his live-in girlfriend to his ex-wife to make her jealous. In another episode, Jack's mother tells him that Liz is a perfect match for him, and in the same episode he has Liz listed as his emergency contact. In an April 2010 Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
interview, series creator Tina Fey said that one of the plots the show will never do is have Liz and Jack get together. "Let me put the Internet at ease: Liz and Jack will never be together." Alec Baldwin was asked if the two characters will ever hook-up, he responded "I sincerely doubt it, and I think the show is better off that way. Once they cross that line, all the tension goes out of those relationships. And I think the lesson we learned about both those characters is that they are married to their jobs and they are married to their work."
Cultural references
In the beginning of the episode, Liz dreams she is giving birth to Meat Cat, a fictional cartoon mascot for "cheesy blasters", her favorite cheese snacks. This episode made reference to the mascot as it was first introduced in the fourth season's premiere episode "Season 4Season 4 (30 Rock)
"Season 4" is the first episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 59th episode overall. It was written by the series creator, executive producer and lead actress, Tina Fey and directed by series producer Don Scardino. The episode originally aired on the...
". Many television reviewers have noted that Jack's presentation on how to deal with overbearing mothers, given the acronym "ASQ" (Always Speak Quietly), was a reference to Baldwin's "ABC" (Always Be Closing) speech seen in the film Glengarry Glen Ross
Glengarry Glen Ross (film)
Glengarry Glen Ross is a 1992 American drama film, adapted by David Mamet from his acclaimed 1984 Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning play of the same name...
(1992). The night vision
Night vision
Night vision is the ability to see in low light conditions. Whether by biological or technological means, night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches: sufficient spectral range, and sufficient intensity range...
video that Liz shows to her writing staff, in which she is seen sleepwalking, ordering a pizza and eating large amounts of junk food, was a parody of the 2009 horror film Paranormal Activity.
Reception
According to the Nielsen ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
system, "Verna" was watched by 5.93 million households in its original American broadcast. The rating was a 7 percent increase in viewership from the previous week's episode, "Winter Madness
Winter Madness
"Winter Madness" is the eleventh episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 69th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by Tom Ceraulo and Vali Chandrasekaran, and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller. It originally aired on the National...
", which was seen by 5.585 million American viewers. The show claimed a 2.9 rating/8 share in the 18–49 demographic, meaning that it was seen by 2.9 percent of all 18–49 years olds, and 8 percent of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast.
TV Squad's 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....
enjoyed Jan Hooks' appearance, and said that her role as Jenna's mother was "good casting." His only complaint was that this episode had nothing to do with The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan, the fictional show on 30 Rock, and hoped that no other characters have to stay at Liz's apartment. "Laughter wasn't constant during ['Verna'], but the direction it moved in kept interest even when jokes were sparse. That being said, some of the material ... were pretty great by even the show's lofty standards", said 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:...
magazine's Sean Gandert. In his recap, Adam Mersel for 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...
was complimentary, writing it had "spot-on one-liners, witty pop culture references, and a hilarious guest-star in Jan Hooks", and that "Verna" became his favorite episode of the season. 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 liked Liz and Frank's plot, noting that their bad habits featured here "culminated in the greatest few moments the show has had in some time." 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...
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...
deemed "Verna" a solid episode from the show. 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...
enjoyed Hooks' performance, and that it was good to see Jane Krakowski's Jenna "get a story that was not solely about her being an insecure ninny."
Not all reviews were positive. 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 a 7.9 out of 10 rating, and said that Hooks' role as Jenna's mother "helped the half hour, but this Jenna-centric episode still didn't blow me away." He noted that the main plot had funny moments but "there wasn't much else to invest in." Overall, Canning reasoned that this episode was very much a stand-alone one "built for some good jokes, and not exactly focused on storytelling. [...] An episode like 'Verna' can still bring a lot of laughs, but you can't help but feel like it's missing that extra something." Television columnist Alan Sepinwall for The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
disliked both stories from "Verna", and wrote that it was a disappointing episode, and that it was "pretty weak overall." Meredith Blake, a contributor from 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....
, reported that despite Hooks' hilarious performance, the episode still felt a "little bit like filler", and that there "wasn't too much that was especially funny or memorable about it".