30 Rock Review: "Argus"

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30 Rock is always hit or miss, although when it hits, it does so harder than any comedy on TV. The problem with recent episodes is that hits have been fewer and farther between.

"Argus" had plenty of funny quotes, just because the dialogue and one-liners delivered by these characters never cease to be funny, but the show has hit a real creative dry spell.

Let's sum it up bluntly. Having Jack bond with a peacock, drink with a peacock, confide in a peacock, believe the peacock to be the reincarnation of Don Geiss, etc., was not funny.

Maybe a little funny for a few minutes, eliciting a smile or two. But no real laughs, and fewer smiles the longer it went. There wasn't even a great conclusion, it just sort of ended.

Tremendous as Alec Baldwin has been over four seasons, the episodes during which Jack is particularly off the wall or is consumed by some ridiculous idea just don't work as well.

Bird Attack

The episode's title, "Argus," referred to (what else, it's NBC) a peacock.

If we're looking for some positives last night, here they are: Pete was funny in a bigger than usual role, and any subplot involving our man Grizz is a guaranteed success.

Either of those stories would have been better as a primary focal point than Jack's, and the same even goes for SNL star Will Forte as Jenna's Jenna impersonator beau.

You know when you wish you'd seen more of a Jenna story line, things aren't right. But Jane Krakowski and Forte doing a duet of "All by Myself" ... wow. Creepily funny.

Other amusing tidbits? That Grizz's fiance is named Fiance, and that Geiss' "hidden family" was literally hidden ... in the attic. If nothing else, the wordplay never fails.

There were some other good lines, too. Follow the jump for 30 Rock quotes from "Argus" ...

Liz: I know this is a difficult time for you, but word of advice: if the will says that you have to spend the night in a haunted house, you better hope that everyone else there are black people or sluts. | permalink
Paul: I'm the luckiest sh/man in the world. | permalink
Liz: [reading Tracy's letter] I will always be your ... oh no, I'm white, I can't read that word. | permalink
Jack: [on Argus] He's become listless, and he won't eat any of the food I got at the crazy rich person's pet shop. | permalink
Jack: [on Geiss] We'd sit on his veranda talking about politics, business, how not to get paper cuts when making love on a pile of money. | permalink
Jack: Peacocks can live up to 40 years. Longer if they're not part of Mike Tyson's zoo. | permalink
Grizz: We really were the Sam and Diane of this place. | permalink
Liz: We have to tell Jenna that we can't do her Kardashian sketch because Jack is bro's with Lamar Odom. | permalink
Liz: [to Jenna] What's going on? Why are you being so happy and nice? Are you soaking your tampons in vodka again? | permalink
Tracy: You sound like my mother being pulled on stage at a 2 Live Crew concert. | permalink
Liz: I just got my bridesmaid dress for Cerie's wedding. It is a Vietnamese size 2. | permalink
Liz: I'm not gonna let this dress win. This morning I joined-
Jack: A suicide cult.
Liz: A gym. | permalink
Liz: [to Jack] How is your thing weirder than mine? | permalink

Argus Review

Editor Rating: 2.5 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.8 / 5.0 (8 Votes)

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.

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30 Rock Season 4 Episode 19 Quotes

I just got my bridesmaid dress for Cerie's wedding. It is a Vietnamese size 2.

Liz

[to Jack] How is your thing weirder than mine?

Liz