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The Break-Up (30 Rock)

May 02, 2024

"The Break-Up" is the eighth episode of the first season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock. It was written by co-executive producers Brett Baer and Dave Finkel, and directed by Scott Ellis. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on December 14, 2006. Guest stars in this episode include Rachel Dratch, Chris Hansen, Keith Powell, Lonny Ross, and Dean Winters.

"The Break-Up"
30 Rock episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 8
Directed byScott Ellis
Written byBrett Baer
Dave Finkel
Production code109[1]
Original air dateDecember 14, 2006 (2006-12-14)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Tracy Does Conan" 		Next →
"The Baby Show"
30 Rock season 1
List of episodes

In the episode, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) finally dumps Dennis Duffy (Dean Winters) and prowls the singles scene, where she proves to be particularly inept at picking up guys, under Jenna Maroney's (Jane Krakowski) tutelage. Meanwhile, Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) and James "Toofer" Spurlock (Keith Powell) clash, landing both in sensitivity training, and Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) dates a certain "high-ranking African-American member of the Bush Administration."

Plot edit

Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) comes home to find her wall full of knife holes, a great dane roaming her apartment, and a complete stranger on her bed, all courtesy of her boyfriend, Dennis Duffy (Dean Winters). She breaks up with him, but Dennis claims squatter's rights, so she gives him a week to move out. Liz and her friend, Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski), go out to try to pick up some men, but are very unsuccessful. The next day, Dennis walks into the staff office of TGS with Tracy Jordan, announcing he has found a new apartment and reads a heartfelt letter to Liz. The staff suddenly turns on Liz after Dennis walks out, and Jenna suggests to Liz that in light of the previous night's disaster, she should re-consider getting back together with him. She suggests making a list of pros and cons. Liz compiles her list of pros and cons. She marks down a positive remark after coming home to find that Dennis has cleaned up the apartment, put up shelves and a TV stand, and left her dinner. In the evening, Dennis returns with an early Christmas present for Liz. She invites him in, but soon sees Dennis on Dateline's To Catch a Predator. As a result of this, Liz breaks up with Dennis, and marks it down as a con.

Meanwhile, James "Toofer" Spurlock (Keith Powell) is upset that Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) is cross-dressing on TGS because it is demeaning to African-Americans. After a bit of objection, Toofer convinces Tracy to stop, handing the female character over to Josh Girard (Lonny Ross). Once Josh's character is successful, Tracy is upset with Toofer. Liz convinces Toofer to work with Tracy. As they work together, Tracy gets upset with Toofer's supposed lack of blackness, and endearingly calls Toofer a racial slur. The next morning, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), Liz, Toofer, and Tracy sit down for a meeting about Tracy's vocabulary from the previous night. Tracy and Jack point out that the African-American community has adopted the word to deprive it of its meaning. In trying to reach out to Tracy, Toofer says the word again but because of his perceived cultural whiteness, everyone, including Tracy, is offended in a way they weren't when Tracy used the term. Tracy and Toofer attend sensitivity training, start arguing, and in the process develop a new sketch for TGS. When show starts running short on time, Liz offers Tracy the option to either air the sketch or one from the Star Jones cooking show, Tracy chooses the latter. Toofer is initially upset, but agrees with Tracy's decision when he finds the sketch funny.

In a subplot, Jack is secretly dating Condoleezza Rice, but gets upset when he sees Vladimir Putin touching her back. After being put on hold by Condoleezza, Jack walks into the bathroom and runs into Dennis there. Dennis, finding Jack a kindred spirit, shares his understanding of his relationship, motivating Jack to play hard to get. As a result, Jack breaks up with Condoleezza.

Production edit

"The Break-Up" was written by that season's co-executive producers Brett Baer and Dave Finkel, and directed by Scott Ellis.[2] This episode was the first writing credit for both Baer and Finkel, and the first one Ellis directed for 30 Rock. Baer and Finkel would later collaborate on the episode "Fireworks", that aired in the show's first season on April 5, 2007.[3] "The Break-Up" originally aired on NBC on December 14, 2006, as the eighth episode of the series.

This episode was actor Dean Winters' third appearance on the series as the character, Dennis Duffy, a former boyfriend of Tina Fey's character, Liz Lemon. He appeared in the episodes "Jack Meets Dennis" and "Tracy Does Conan".[4][5] Finkel has appeared on the show in a 10-second internet sitcom, Makin' It Happen, alongside staff writer Kay Cannon. The two play husband and wife.[6] A series of Makin' It Happen was produced and the webisodes aired on NBC.com.

Rachel Dratch, longtime comedy partner and fellow Saturday Night Live alumna of Fey, the latter who was the show's head writer from 1999 until 2006,[7] was originally cast to portray Jenna Maroney. Dratch played the role in the show's original pilot,[8] but in August 2006, actress Jane Krakowski was announced as Dratch's replacement.[9][10] Executive producer Lorne Michaels announced that while Dratch would not be playing a series regular, she would appear in various episodes in a different role.[11] In this episode, Dratch played Pamela Smew, a group therapist in charge of sensitivity training between Tracy and Toofer.[12] This was Dratch's fifth appearance on the series. Various other cast members of SNL have appeared on 30 Rock. These cast members include: Chris Parnell,[13] Fred Armisen,[14] Kristen Wiig,[14] Will Forte,[15] Jason Sudeikis[16] and Molly Shannon.[17] Fey and Tracy Morgan have both been part of the main cast of SNL.[18] Chris Hansen of Dateline NBC's television segment To Catch a Predator appeared as himself in this episode, in which he confronts Dennis on To Catch a Predator.[12]

Reception edit

"The Break-Up" received generally good reception from critics. According to the Nielsen ratings system, "The Break-Up" was watched by 5.9 million households in its original American broadcast.[19] It earned a 2.8 rating/8 share in the 18–49 demographic.[20] This means that it was seen by 5.9 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds, and 8 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of the broadcast.[19] This was a decrease from the previous episode, "Tracy Does Conan", which was watched by 6.84 million American viewers.[21] Scott Ellis, director of the episode, received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Directing For a Comedy Series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards.[22] Since airing, the episode received good reviews from television critics.

IGN contributor Robert Canning said that "The Break-Up" was "well put together", noting that it had "[g]ood set ups and good execution" and that it "gave us good comedy" as it had "plenty to work with." In regards to the Liz and Dennis story, he admitted that while it was funny, it was "fairly stereotypical." Canning commented that Jack's relationship with Condoleezza Rice in the episode was a "great concept" and "offered up a good number of chuckles", although "it never became as clever as it appeared it was going to be." Canning gave the episode a 6.5 out of 10 rating.[23] TV Guide's Matt Mitovich was complimentary towards the episode, reporting, "Now this is what I'm talking about. Second-tier cast integration, multiple stories going on, intimations that Condoleezza Rice likes phone sex ... Another winning week for NBC's 30 Rock." Mitovich enjoyed the fact that Jack was in a relationship with Rice, writing that another show "would build [the] whole episode around them" but that 30 Rock "made it that much funnier by playing it in the background and thus getting to be more outrageous with it."[24] Julia Ward of AOL's TV Squad wrote that Alec Baldwin "always knocks the ball out of the park on the acting front" but noted that "the best material" in this episode belonged to the Tracy and Toofer story. "The show does have a tendency to telegraph its punchlines, but it was nice to have the two men's differences resolved by finding the funny in a Star Jones/excessive vomiting sketch." Ward was complimentary towards Jane Krakowski, observing that her "comic timing" in "The Break-Up" was "impeccable as usual, but it would be nice to see her character get a tad more three-dimensional."[25] Amy Amatangelo of the Boston Herald enjoyed Dean Winters' appearances on the show, citing that he does a "hilarious turn" as Dennis,[26] while the Houston Chronicle's Mike McDaniel opined that Winters had a "[s]cene-stealing and hilarious role" on the show.[27]

References edit

  1. ^ "(#109) "The Break-Up"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  2. ^ "30 Rock — The Break Up". Yahoo! TV. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  3. ^ Writer(s): Brett Baer and Scott Ellis; Director: Beth McCarthy (2007-04-05). "Fireworks". 30 Rock. Season 1. Episode 18. NBC Universal. NBC.
  4. ^ Writer: Jack Burditt; Director: Juan J. Campanella (2006-11-30). "Jack Meets Dennis". 30 Rock. Season 1. Episode 6. NBC Universal. NBC.
  5. ^ "30 Rock on NBC — Tracy Does Conan". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  6. ^ Jack McBrayer (2007). 30 Rock: Season One DVD commentary for the episode "Fireworks" (DVD). NBC Universal. Event occurs at 01:47. Those are two of our writers. That was Dave Finkel and Kay Cannon, in fact Dave Finkel and Brett Baer are a writing team that original penned this episode.
  7. ^ Goodwin, Christopher (2008-05-11). "And funny with it". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
  8. ^ Baldwin, Kristen (2007-04-10). "One Fine Fey". Entertainment Weekly. p. 2. Retrieved 2010-03-28.
  9. ^ . Zap2it. 2006-08-17. Archived from the original on 2008-01-18. Retrieved 2010-03-28.
  10. ^ Traister, Rebecca (2010-04-14). "The Tina Fey backlash". Salon.com. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  11. ^ Schneider, Michael (2006-08-14). "Inside Move: Dratch latched to multiple Rock roles". Variety. Retrieved 2010-03-28.
  12. ^ a b ""30 Rock" The Break-Up (2006)". IMDb. Retrieved 2010-04-19.
  13. ^ Barrett, Annie (2006-12-07). "What SNL alums besides Chris Parnell should guest on 30 Rock?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  14. ^ a b Canning, Robert. "30 Rock: "Somebody to Love" Review". IGN. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
  15. ^ Webb Mitovich, Matt (2007-02-02). . TV Guide. Archived from the original on August 21, 2009. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
  16. ^ Matheson, Whitney (2007-04-19). "A chat with ... 30 Rock and SNL star Jason Sudeikis". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
  17. ^ Writer: Jack Burditt; Director: Dennie Gordon (2007-03-08). "The Fighting Irish". 30 Rock. Season 1. Episode 17. NBC Universal. NBC.
  18. ^ Fickett, Travis (2006-10-17). "IGN Interview: 30 Rock's Tracy Morgan". IGN. Archived from the original on 2012-07-20. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
  19. ^ a b "NBC Is #2 For The Week In Adults 18-49". The Futon Critic. 2006-12-19. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  20. ^ "Nielsen primetime ratings report". Daily Variety. 2006-12-25. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  21. ^ Kissell, Rick (2006-12-12). "Prime week for NBC, CBS". Variety. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  22. ^ . Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting Official Website. 2007-08-01. Archived from the original on 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2010-04-16.
  23. ^ Canning, Robert (2006-12-15). "30 Rock: "The Break-Up" Review". IGN. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  24. ^ Mitovich, Matt (2006-12-14). "December 14, 2006: "Liz Is the Dog, and I Am My Feet"". TV Guide. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  25. ^ Ward, Julia (2006-12-15). "30 Rock: The Break-Up". TV Squad. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  26. ^ Amatangelo, Amy (2006-12-03). "Watch This!". Boston Herald.
  27. ^ McDaniel, Mike (2006-12-27). "Television — Oz alums prove their weight". Houston Chronicle: 1.

External links edit

 
Wikiquote has quotations related to 30 Rock.
  • "The Break-Up" at IMDb  

May 02, 2024
break, rock, break, eighth, episode, first, season, american, television, comedy, series, rock, written, executive, producers, brett, baer, dave, finkel, directed, scott, ellis, episode, originally, aired, united, states, december, 2006, guest, stars, this, ep. The Break Up is the eighth episode of the first season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock It was written by co executive producers Brett Baer and Dave Finkel and directed by Scott Ellis The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on December 14 2006 Guest stars in this episode include Rachel Dratch Chris Hansen Keith Powell Lonny Ross and Dean Winters The Break Up 30 Rock episodeEpisode no Season 1Episode 8Directed byScott EllisWritten byBrett BaerDave FinkelProduction code109 1 Original air dateDecember 14 2006 2006 12 14 Guest appearancesRachel Dratch as Pamela Smew Chris Hansen as himself Keith Powell as Toofer Spurlock Lonny Ross as Josh Girard Dean Winters as Dennis DuffyEpisode chronology Previous Tracy Does Conan Next The Baby Show 30 Rockseason 1List of episodes In the episode Liz Lemon Tina Fey finally dumps Dennis Duffy Dean Winters and prowls the singles scene where she proves to be particularly inept at picking up guys under Jenna Maroney s Jane Krakowski tutelage Meanwhile Tracy Jordan Tracy Morgan and James Toofer Spurlock Keith Powell clash landing both in sensitivity training and Jack Donaghy Alec Baldwin dates a certain high ranking African American member of the Bush Administration Contents 1 Plot 2 Production 3 Reception 4 References 5 External linksPlot editLiz Lemon Tina Fey comes home to find her wall full of knife holes a great dane roaming her apartment and a complete stranger on her bed all courtesy of her boyfriend Dennis Duffy Dean Winters She breaks up with him but Dennis claims squatter s rights so she gives him a week to move out Liz and her friend Jenna Maroney Jane Krakowski go out to try to pick up some men but are very unsuccessful The next day Dennis walks into the staff office of TGS with Tracy Jordan announcing he has found a new apartment and reads a heartfelt letter to Liz The staff suddenly turns on Liz after Dennis walks out and Jenna suggests to Liz that in light of the previous night s disaster she should re consider getting back together with him She suggests making a list of pros and cons Liz compiles her list of pros and cons She marks down a positive remark after coming home to find that Dennis has cleaned up the apartment put up shelves and a TV stand and left her dinner In the evening Dennis returns with an early Christmas present for Liz She invites him in but soon sees Dennis on Dateline s To Catch a Predator As a result of this Liz breaks up with Dennis and marks it down as a con Meanwhile James Toofer Spurlock Keith Powell is upset that Tracy Jordan Tracy Morgan is cross dressing on TGS because it is demeaning to African Americans After a bit of objection Toofer convinces Tracy to stop handing the female character over to Josh Girard Lonny Ross Once Josh s character is successful Tracy is upset with Toofer Liz convinces Toofer to work with Tracy As they work together Tracy gets upset with Toofer s supposed lack of blackness and endearingly calls Toofer a racial slur The next morning Jack Donaghy Alec Baldwin Liz Toofer and Tracy sit down for a meeting about Tracy s vocabulary from the previous night Tracy and Jack point out that the African American community has adopted the word to deprive it of its meaning In trying to reach out to Tracy Toofer says the word again but because of his perceived cultural whiteness everyone including Tracy is offended in a way they weren t when Tracy used the term Tracy and Toofer attend sensitivity training start arguing and in the process develop a new sketch for TGS When show starts running short on time Liz offers Tracy the option to either air the sketch or one from the Star Jones cooking show Tracy chooses the latter Toofer is initially upset but agrees with Tracy s decision when he finds the sketch funny In a subplot Jack is secretly dating Condoleezza Rice but gets upset when he sees Vladimir Putin touching her back After being put on hold by Condoleezza Jack walks into the bathroom and runs into Dennis there Dennis finding Jack a kindred spirit shares his understanding of his relationship motivating Jack to play hard to get As a result Jack breaks up with Condoleezza Production edit The Break Up was written by that season s co executive producers Brett Baer and Dave Finkel and directed by Scott Ellis 2 This episode was the first writing credit for both Baer and Finkel and the first one Ellis directed for 30 Rock Baer and Finkel would later collaborate on the episode Fireworks that aired in the show s first season on April 5 2007 3 The Break Up originally aired on NBC on December 14 2006 as the eighth episode of the series This episode was actor Dean Winters third appearance on the series as the character Dennis Duffy a former boyfriend of Tina Fey s character Liz Lemon He appeared in the episodes Jack Meets Dennis and Tracy Does Conan 4 5 Finkel has appeared on the show in a 10 second internet sitcom Makin It Happen alongside staff writer Kay Cannon The two play husband and wife 6 A series of Makin It Happen was produced and the webisodes aired on NBC com Rachel Dratch longtime comedy partner and fellow Saturday Night Live alumna of Fey the latter who was the show s head writer from 1999 until 2006 7 was originally cast to portray Jenna Maroney Dratch played the role in the show s original pilot 8 but in August 2006 actress Jane Krakowski was announced as Dratch s replacement 9 10 Executive producer Lorne Michaels announced that while Dratch would not be playing a series regular she would appear in various episodes in a different role 11 In this episode Dratch played Pamela Smew a group therapist in charge of sensitivity training between Tracy and Toofer 12 This was Dratch s fifth appearance on the series Various other cast members of SNL have appeared on 30 Rock These cast members include Chris Parnell 13 Fred Armisen 14 Kristen Wiig 14 Will Forte 15 Jason Sudeikis 16 and Molly Shannon 17 Fey and Tracy Morgan have both been part of the main cast of SNL 18 Chris Hansen of Dateline NBC s television segment To Catch a Predator appeared as himself in this episode in which he confronts Dennis on To Catch a Predator 12 Reception edit The Break Up received generally good reception from critics According to the Nielsen ratings system The Break Up was watched by 5 9 million households in its original American broadcast 19 It earned a 2 8 rating 8 share in the 18 49 demographic 20 This means that it was seen by 5 9 percent of all 18 to 49 year olds and 8 percent of all 18 to 49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast 19 This was a decrease from the previous episode Tracy Does Conan which was watched by 6 84 million American viewers 21 Scott Ellis director of the episode received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Directing For a Comedy Series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards 22 Since airing the episode received good reviews from television critics IGN contributor Robert Canning said that The Break Up was well put together noting that it had g ood set ups and good execution and that it gave us good comedy as it had plenty to work with In regards to the Liz and Dennis story he admitted that while it was funny it was fairly stereotypical Canning commented that Jack s relationship with Condoleezza Rice in the episode was a great concept and offered up a good number of chuckles although it never became as clever as it appeared it was going to be Canning gave the episode a 6 5 out of 10 rating 23 TV Guide s Matt Mitovich was complimentary towards the episode reporting Now this is what I m talking about Second tier cast integration multiple stories going on intimations that Condoleezza Rice likes phone sex Another winning week for NBC s 30 Rock Mitovich enjoyed the fact that Jack was in a relationship with Rice writing that another show would build the whole episode around them but that 30 Rock made it that much funnier by playing it in the background and thus getting to be more outrageous with it 24 Julia Ward of AOL s TV Squad wrote that Alec Baldwin always knocks the ball out of the park on the acting front but noted that the best material in this episode belonged to the Tracy and Toofer story The show does have a tendency to telegraph its punchlines but it was nice to have the two men s differences resolved by finding the funny in a Star Jones excessive vomiting sketch Ward was complimentary towards Jane Krakowski observing that her comic timing in The Break Up was impeccable as usual but it would be nice to see her character get a tad more three dimensional 25 Amy Amatangelo of the Boston Herald enjoyed Dean Winters appearances on the show citing that he does a hilarious turn as Dennis 26 while the Houston Chronicle s Mike McDaniel opined that Winters had a s cene stealing and hilarious role on the show 27 References edit 109 The Break Up The Futon Critic Retrieved July 19 2021 30 Rock The Break Up Yahoo TV Retrieved 2010 04 15 Writer s Brett Baer and Scott Ellis Director Beth McCarthy 2007 04 05 Fireworks 30 Rock Season 1 Episode 18 NBC Universal NBC Writer Jack Burditt Director Juan J Campanella 2006 11 30 Jack Meets Dennis 30 Rock Season 1 Episode 6 NBC Universal NBC 30 Rock on NBC Tracy Does Conan The Futon Critic Retrieved 2010 04 15 Jack McBrayer 2007 30 Rock Season One DVD commentary for the episode Fireworks DVD NBC Universal Event occurs at 01 47 Those are two of our writers That was Dave Finkel and Kay Cannon in fact Dave Finkel and Brett Baer are a writing team that original penned this episode Goodwin Christopher 2008 05 11 And funny with it The Guardian Retrieved 2010 03 27 Baldwin Kristen 2007 04 10 One Fine Fey Entertainment Weekly p 2 Retrieved 2010 03 28 Ally Cat Krakowski Joins 30 Rock Zap2it 2006 08 17 Archived from the original on 2008 01 18 Retrieved 2010 03 28 Traister Rebecca 2010 04 14 The Tina Fey backlash Salon com Retrieved 2010 04 15 Schneider Michael 2006 08 14 Inside Move Dratch latched to multiple Rock roles Variety Retrieved 2010 03 28 a b 30 Rock The Break Up 2006 IMDb Retrieved 2010 04 19 Barrett Annie 2006 12 07 What SNL alums besides Chris Parnell should guest on 30 Rock Entertainment Weekly Retrieved 2010 03 19 a b Canning Robert 30 Rock Somebody to Love Review IGN Retrieved 2010 04 14 Webb Mitovich Matt 2007 02 02 February 1 2007 It Feels Good to Laugh TV Guide Archived from the original on August 21 2009 Retrieved 2010 04 14 Matheson Whitney 2007 04 19 A chat with 30 Rock and SNL star Jason Sudeikis USA Today Retrieved 2010 04 14 Writer Jack Burditt Director Dennie Gordon 2007 03 08 The Fighting Irish 30 Rock Season 1 Episode 17 NBC Universal NBC Fickett Travis 2006 10 17 IGN Interview 30 Rock s Tracy Morgan IGN Archived from the original on 2012 07 20 Retrieved 2010 03 27 a b NBC Is 2 For The Week In Adults 18 49 The Futon Critic 2006 12 19 Retrieved 2010 04 15 Nielsen primetime ratings report Daily Variety 2006 12 25 Retrieved 2010 04 15 Kissell Rick 2006 12 12 Prime week for NBC CBS Variety Retrieved 2010 04 15 Mayor s Office of Film Theatre amp Broadcasting Mayor s Office of Film Theatre amp Broadcasting Official Website 2007 08 01 Archived from the original on 2010 05 28 Retrieved 2010 04 16 Canning Robert 2006 12 15 30 Rock The Break Up Review IGN Retrieved 2010 04 15 Mitovich Matt 2006 12 14 December 14 2006 Liz Is the Dog and I Am My Feet TV Guide Retrieved 2010 04 15 Ward Julia 2006 12 15 30 Rock The Break Up TV Squad Retrieved 2010 04 15 Amatangelo Amy 2006 12 03 Watch This Boston Herald McDaniel Mike 2006 12 27 Television Oz alums prove their weight Houston Chronicle 1 External links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to 30 Rock The Break Up at IMDb nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Break Up 30 Rock amp oldid 1216880031, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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