30 Rock and roll

     NBC brought the latest season of 30 Rock to a close with a shocking development.  No, I'm not talking about the title, "I Do Do".  Nor any weddings, breakups, romantic overtures, or pregnancies.  Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer), the best page ever, was fired.  He was actually bad at his job on purpose to avoid a promotion that would have forced him to move to L.A.  Surely, this will quickly be remedied when the show returns next fall, as the show could not possibly be the same without him.  Plus, the series has made him a star.  McBrayer wouldn't leave for real, would he?  Its doubtful.

     Liz (Tina Fey) did finally have some luck in the romance department, though.  Despite Fey stating in an interview that Liz would most likely end up with Wesley (Michael Sheen) in the end, she met the man of her dreams, played by none other than Matt Damon.  What are the chances a big movie star like Matt Damon would settle into a recurring character on a sitcom though?

     Interesting that I you should ask that.  Sheen has appeared several times already, and Jack (Alec Baldwin) has been juggling dating two women, Avery (Elizabeth Banks) and Nancy (Julianne Moore), both played by movie stars.  Though, it seems Nancy will soon be moving on, what with the surprise pregnancy of Avery.  How does 30 Rock get such big name recurring characters?  Because it's a hell of a witty show, with plenty of connections behind the scenes.  Fey and Baldwin have headlines a few films themselves in recent years.  It's led to something I never though I'd worry about on the show, or really, any sitcom for that matter.  Some of the central characters are in danger of being overshadowed by the guests.  It hasn't happened yet, but it's been close.

      However, that doesn't mean I want them to stop bringing in the big talent.  It adds some gravitas to the show, and they've all been, without exception, exceptionally funny.  And it's not just the A-listers that succeed.  Plenty of Saturday Night Live alumni have killed, most recently Will Forte (who is currently starring in the film MacGruber) as Jenna's (Jane Krakowski) boyfriend slash impersonator.

     30 Rock has already been picked up for another season and will return to NBC in the fall.

Where did all the good Saturday Night Live go?

     With the close of the latest season of NBC's Saturday Night Live, one question hangs over our heads: why does SNL currently suck?  It still includes most of the same cast that made it such a hit during the 2008 election.  Kristen Wiig is still a comic genius.  Andy Samberg still makes Digital Shorts, though the laughs come less often.  Will Forte is taking his MacGruber sketch to the big screen very soon.  Bobby Moynihan can still deliver with his impersonation of Snooki from Jersey Shore.  Seth Meyers remains the head writer, and the Weekend Update segments are as funny as ever.  But the rest of the show largely falls flat on it's face.

     To get an answer, perhaps we should ask why any season of Saturday Night Live has sucked.  On the air for thirty-five years, the series run in hit and miss cycles, and we are currently in the middle of a low point, made all the more obvious by just high they got in fall 2008.  Even Betty White, bringing a host of alumni with her, delivered only mediocre stuff.  Don't hate on me for saying it.  I was enthralled with the beloved actress and her posse as anyone, but had the season been where it should have been, that episode would not have seemed as good as it did.  At best, it was good, not great.

      Perhaps in an effort to salvage something, uber-host Alec Baldwin was brought in for the season finale this weekend, tying Steve Martin's record of 15 hosting episodes.  Sadly, he, too, left something to be desired.  Let me say that again.  Alec Baldwin had a bad episode.  That just doesn't happen.  So why, with all the golden ingredients, is SNL not doing better?

     I can come up with no satisfying explanation.  I remember how good the show is when it hits it's peaks, and so I'll just do what any of us can do.  Keep watching, hoping it gets there again soon.