'30 Rock's' Next Season May Be Its Last - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 06-22-2011, 10:47 AM

Headed into season: 6
Most Recent Ratings: 5.4 million, down 19 percent from 6.7 million
Cultural relevancy: High. Sure, we're biased, since Vulture never misses the chance to overanalyze a plot development on this show. But 30 Rock has remained a critical fave, Emmy voters still like it a lot, and Tina Fey is now a movie star and best-selling author whom we're still lucky enough to have on TV. Plus, anytime Alec Baldwin or Tracy Morgan open their mouths, headlines ensue! The show's last couple of episodes were kind of ... well, odd bordering on WTF. But there's no sign the show's always-small fan base is any less loyal.
Life expectancy: One season. "Heresy!" you cry. How could we hand down a death sentence to a show still in its prime? Many reasons. First, let's just state that it's a small miracle 30 Rock has survived as long as it has; like Community and Parks and Rec, it's benefited from the fact that NBC's overall ratings suck as well as the fact that it's one of the most critically admired shows on TV. The fact that Lorne Michaels produces it and that Fey has become a superstar have also helped. But the combination of Fey plus Michaels (not to mention Alec Baldwin) also make 30 Rock an expensive show, and shows tend to cost more as they get older. It's unlikely ratings will reverse course and suddenly start climbing, which means NBC is left with a very costly but not high-rated show. Baldwin was smacked down when he suggested the coming season of 30 Rock would be its last, but we think he may prove to be right. Also, Fey once wrote about her conflicted feelings about balancing a second child with her workload. Now that she's expecting baby No. 2, she may decide that with all of her other options, it's time to drop the daily TV grind and focus on being a movie star/author. Caveat: If NBC doesn't find any new comedy hits next season, it may have to beg Fey to keep the show around. But if it gets even a couple of modest successes, the new batch of 30 Rock episodes slated to air next mid-season could well be the last.

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06-22-2011, 10:47 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	'30 Rock's' Next Season May Be Its Last Headed into season: 6 Most Recent Ratings: 5.4 million, down 19 percent from 6.7 million Cultural relevancy: High. Sure, we're biased, since Vulture never misses the chance to overanalyze a plot development on this show. But 30 Rock has remained a critical fave, Emmy voters still like it a lot, and Tina Fey is now a movie star and best-selling author whom we're still lucky enough to have on TV. Plus, anytime Alec Baldwin or Tracy Morgan open their mouths, headlines ensue! The show's last couple of episodes were kind of ... well, odd bordering on WTF. But there's no sign the show's always-small fan base is any less loyal. Life expectancy: One season. "Heresy!" you cry. How could we hand down a death sentence to a show still in its prime? Many reasons. First, let's just state that it's a small miracle 30 Rock has survived as long as it has; like Community and Parks and Rec, it's benefited from the fact that NBC's overall ratings suck as well as the fact that it's one of the most critically admired shows on TV. The fact that Lorne Michaels produces it and that Fey has become a superstar have also helped. But the combination of Fey plus Michaels (not to mention Alec Baldwin) also make 30 Rock an expensive show, and shows tend to cost more as they get older. It's unlikely ratings will reverse course and suddenly start climbing, which means NBC is left with a very costly but not high-rated show. Baldwin was smacked down when he suggested the coming season of 30 Rock would be its last, but we think he may prove to be right. Also, Fey once wrote about her conflicted feelings about balancing a second child with her workload. Now that she's expecting baby No. 2, she may decide that with all of her other options, it's time to drop the daily TV grind and focus on being a movie star/author. Caveat: If NBC doesn't find any new comedy hits next season, it may have to beg Fey to keep the show around. But if it gets even a couple of modest successes, the new batch of 30 Rock episodes slated to air next mid-season could well be the last. http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment...#photo=8x00004
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