Secret Santa (30 Rock)
"Secret Santa" | |
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30 Rock episode | |
Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 8 |
Directed by | Beth McCarthy-Miller |
Written by | Tina Fey |
Production code | 408 |
Original air date | December 10, 2009 |
Guest appearances | |
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"Secret Santa" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 66th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by series' creator Tina Fey and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on December 10, 2009. The episode featured appearances by actors Cheyenne Jackson as Danny Baker, Julianne Moore as Nancy Donovan, and Larry Wilcox playing himself.
The episode centered on a gift-giving contest between
Critical reception of the episode was generally less than favorable. According to the
Plot
Jack and Liz decide to exchange gifts for Christmas. Meanwhile, Jack reconnects with a friend from high school,
TGS producer
Meanwhile, Kenneth is throwing his rule-filled "Secret Santa Fun Swap", much to the writers' chagrin. Frank, Toofer, and Lutz proclaim they are strict adherents of "Verdukianism," a religion they make up on the spot, and have Kenneth give them things they claim to need for "Merlinpeen," the Verdukian Holiday of Mouth Pleasures (such as meat-lover's pizza and having their teeth flossed by a blonde virgin). Their famous holiday song is, "Oh, Meatbowl of Verduke, you bring me such pizza. Meatbowl." When Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) tells Kenneth that they made up their religion, he goes into shock at the idea that all religions are made up by man. His faith is restored when the three are arrested for the bomb threat Liz called in, using their phone.
Production
"Secret Santa" was written by series' creator, executive producer and lead actress Tina Fey. The director of this episode was Beth McCarthy-Miller,[1] a long-time television director who worked with Fey on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live.[2] This was Fey's nineteenth writing credit,[3] and McCarthy-Miller's ninth directed episode.[4] "Secret Santa" originally aired on NBC as the eighth episode of the show's fourth season, and the 66th overall episode of the series, in the United States on December 10, 2009.[1] It was filmed on November 5[5] and November 20, 2009.[6]
In November 2009, it was announced that actress Julianne Moore would guest star on 30 Rock as a love interest for Alec Baldwin's character, Jack Donaghy.[7] Moore would later guest star in the episodes "Winter Madness", "Lee Marvin vs. Derek Jeter", "Emanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land", and "I Do Do".[8] In an interview with USA Today in October 2009, Fey said that Jack would find more enduring love in the upcoming season. "As we move into the back half of the season, we'd like to get [Jack] into a real adult relationship with some hurdles." In the same interview, Baldwin noted, "Fifty-year-old Jack running around still using women like a drug is not where I'd like him to end up."[9] Actor Larry Wilcox made a cameo in this episode, though, he was in character playing Officer Jon Baker from his old days in the drama show CHiPs, as Liz Lemon had a teen crush on Wilcox.[10] In one scene of this episode, Liz says "shark farts", and when asked about it in an April 2010 interview, Fey revealed that the term "was one that we ad-libbed that we ended up leaving in. The studio asked us not to leave it in, but we left it in."[11]
This was actor Cheyenne Jackson's second appearance as Danny on 30 Rock. He made his debut in the November 12, 2009, episode "The Problem Solvers".[12] Fey had seen Jackson in the Broadway musicals Xanadu and Damn Yankees, the latter that starred Jane Krakowski, who plays Jenna Maroney on the show. According to Jackson in a November 2009 interview, Fey set up a meeting to interest him in a role on the program.[13][14] In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, it was revealed that it was Krakowski who brought Jackson to the attention of the 30 Rock producers.[15] In the episode, Danny sang off-key during a duet with Jenna, in order to keep her happy. In regards of his off-pitch performance, Jackson said in an interview, "It's actually harder than you might think. I worked on it a lot to make it sound real and to make it sound believable. But I got some good, funny feedback from it, so I'm glad it worked out."[14]
One filmed scene from "Secret Santa" was cut out from the airing. Instead, the scene was featured on 30 Rock's season four DVD as part of the deleted scenes in the Bonus feature. In the scene, Liz goes to Vattene, a men's dress apparel retailer. She is there to buy a gift for Jack for Christmas but is shocked at the prices. She then sees a red neck tie and purchases it.[16]
Cultural references
Jack tells Liz about YouFace, "an up-and-coming social-networking site",
Reception
According to the
Critical reception of the episode was not entirely favorable. Nathan Rabin of
Meredith Blake, writing for the Los Angeles Times, found that television Christmas episodes generally tended to bring "an awkward shift in tone: All of a sudden, everyone's being nice to each other." She also complained about the invented holiday, which she found to be an overused cliché of Christmas programming: "See also: 'Chrismukkah' or 'Festivus.'"[19] Also, television columnist Alan Sepinwall for The Star-Ledger found that the episode compared unfavorably with the preceding one, but still enjoyed the showcasing of several minor characters, and the "tender holiday spirit". What he appreciated most of all, however, was the Alec Baldwin–Julianne Moore angle.[24] Mark Graham of New York magazine opined that the three plots in "Secret Santa" could not be considered as "A-material" for 30 Rock.[25] Michael Anthony for TV Guide worried about the kiss between Jack and Nancy, as Nancy is married, and experiencing marital troubles. "The Nancy kiss kind of troubles me; is Jack going to become the 'other woman?'"[26]
References
- ^ a b "30 Rock — Secret Santa". Yahoo! TV. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
- ^ Block, Alex Ben (2009-08-13). "Emmy Wrap: Writer/director contenders". The Hollywood Reporter.
Even though [Beth] McCarthy-Miller had been friends with Tina Fey since working with her for several seasons on NBC's Saturday Night Live
- Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
- ^ "Beth McCarthy-Miller — Filmography by TV series". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ "Alec Baldwin, Julianne Moore — On Location For "30 Rock"". Life. 2009-11-05. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
- NBC Universal Media Village. Archived from the originalon 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2010-04-05. Save Picture as → Right click file → Properties → Summary → Advanced → Date Picture Taken
- Daily News (New York). Retrieved 2010-04-05.
- Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
- ^ Levin, Gary (2009-10-14). "Critics, Emmys love '30 Rock'; when will the viewers?". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ^ Fretts, Bruce (2009-12-11). "The Julianne Moore, the Merrier?". TV Guide Magazine.
- ^ Jacobs, A.J. (2010-04-13). "The Real Tina Fey". Esquire. Retrieved 2010-07-27.
- ^ Sepinwall, Alan (2009-11-12). "30 Rock, "The Problem Solvers": She's the one". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2010-03-30.
- ^ Kershner, Jim (2009-11-27). "Action Jackson — Locally raised showman — Cheyenne Jackson hitting on all cylinders". The Spokesman-Review: 1C.
- ^ a b de Crinis, Mona (2009-12-24). "Cheyenne Jackson- Not just another pretty face". San Diego Gay & Lesbian News. Archived from the original on 2010-02-25. Retrieved 2010-03-30.
- ^ Pacheco, Patrick (2009-11-12). "There's no mystery to his strong appeal: Broadway charmer Cheyenne Jackson tackles broadcast TV next. Can he work his magic on Tina Fey?". Los Angeles Times. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- Universal Studios Home Entertainment. 2010.
- ^ LaVallee, Andrew (2009-12-11). "'30 Rock' Introduces 'YouFace'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
- ^ a b Canning, Robert (2009-12-11). "30 Rock: "Secret Santa" Review". IGN. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ a b c d Blake, Meredith (2009-12-11). "'30 Rock': The most wonderful time of the year?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ a b Gorman, Bill (2009-12-10). "TV Ratings Thursday: CBS & Survivior Strong; Bones Season High; Fringe Slips". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ TV Squad. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
- ^ Rabin, Nathan (10 December 2009). "Secret Santa". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ Lyons, Margaret (2009-12-11). "'30 Rock' recap: Sharkfarts for all! The 10 best lines from 'Secret Santa'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
- ^ Sepinwall, Alan (2009-12-11). "30 Rock, "Secret Santa": Jack dates Julianne Moore". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
- ^ Graham, Mark (2009-12-11). "30 Rock Recap: Who Are YouFacing?". New York. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
- ^ Anthony, Michael (2009-12-11). "30 Rock Episode Recap: "Secret Santa"". TV Guide. Archived from the original on 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
External links
- "Secret Santa" at IMDb