Mon, September 17, 2007
You're Welcome!—12:01 AM
Proving once again that Emmys dare to go where ratings fear to tread, tonight 30 Rock picked up the Best Comedy Series award it so rightly deserved. In her charming acceptance speech Tina Fey – creator, writer, and star – thanked the shows "dozens and dozens of viewers." Speaking as one of that number, thank you Tina! And Tracy and Scott and Judah and Jack, and most of all Alec!
Mr. Baldwin, like the newly single Ms. Fischer, was robbed of a well deserved statuette. But bless him for showing up anyway. For that matter, I was amazed that out of ten comedy-guest-performance slots, only one nomination went to 30 Rock, which had top-notch guest stars all year. I'm proud that Elaine Strich won for portraying Jack's mum – and she made a delicious spectacle of herself – but Isabella Rossellini, Rip Torn, Sean Hayes, Nathan Lane, Wayne Brady, and Emily Mortimer all did fantastic work, too.
Still, if I could only care about one Emmy, it would be the Comedy Series win for 30 Rock, so I'm glad they pulled it off. I remain hopeful that it can do for them what it never could for Arrrested Development: pave the way for longer-term success.
Brandon — Mon, 9/17/07 11:42am
For what it's worth, since 1971, Arrested Development is the only Best Comedy Series Emmy winner that failed to last at least five seasons. It's also the only Best Comedy Series Emmy winner to air on Fox, whose red-headed stepchild ratings status didn't help AD's cause.
For those wondering, we stop at 1971 because the 1970 winner was My World and Welcome to It, an odd show based upon the humor and New Yorker drawings of James Thurber that, shockingly, only lasted one season.
I think 30 Rock has two things going for it that Arrested Development did not: a coveted lineup spot, and the relationship between NBC and Lorne Michaels. Never underestimate the power of Lorne's desire to be even loosely associated with anything that has the whiff of "comedic genius" about it. He was front and center last night when the 30 Rock crew took the stage, and has no doubt already made sweet, sweet love to that statuette (or perhaps, in tribute to Tracy "Jordan" Morgan, he took it out behind a middle school and got it pregnant). I only hope Tina Fey knows by now to get the damn thing cleaned and disinfected.
Bee Boy — Mon, 9/17/07 12:12pm
I heard that's why they made them so pointy. To keep a (then-4-year-old) Lorne Michaels at bay for as long as possible.
So are you saying Lorne is more powerful than Brian Grazer, or just that NBC is dumb enough to think they need to stay on Lorne's good side, and Fox is dumb enough to think they can piss off Grazer?
Also, I beg forgiveness from Jaime Pressly. If anyone was going to steal the Emmy Jenna Fischer rightly deserved, it should be her. As she said in her speech, she's been delivering the goods for a long time. It just took this long for a role to come along that would finally earn her some respect. She does a great job with it. Not as great as Jenna does, but close. If only her instincts at picking post-maternity evening wear were half as good.
Brandon — Mon, 9/17/07 12:35pm
A little of option B, I suppose. I'm just saying that Lorne's relationship with NBC goes further back, and is more involved, seeing as how he's exec producer for their venerable Saturday night comedy institution (and talent factory), their soon-to-be-flagship late night program, and now their Emmy-winning primetime comedy. I think that gives Lorne more clout with the network, and makes them think twice about pissing him off.
I have a hard time believing that Grazer put up more than an obligatory, half-hearted fight on AD's behalf, or that he could have been distracted for more than a couple seconds by the news of its cancellation. And while he has a relationship with Fox thanks to 24 and whatever movies he's done there, he's also got Friday Night Lights over at NBC and Shark at CBS. He's got his fingers in so many pies that I just don't think the personal connection to the show was there with AD the way it is with Lorne and 30 Rock.
Joe Mulder — Mon, 9/17/07 1:24pm
Especially the talking pie in Homer's script from that Simpsons episode he did a guest voice for.
Brandon — Wed, 9/26/07 12:40pm
Great New York Times feature on Tina Fey that includes the following:
Bee Boy — Wed, 9/26/07 4:41pm
Bless you, sir. You have brightened a very aggravating day.