30 Rock: Difference between revisions

* Cerie Xerox (Katrina Bowden) - Airheaded [[Valley Girl]] type, Cerie is attractive, privileged, and frequently a bit insensitive, though that seems to be because she's too naïve to notice. As a gag, she [[Hidden Depths|occasionally shows flashes of intellect]] like having an argument with her fiance about the Greek Orthodox Church's stand on Cyprus, or knowing the exact speed of light. Her role has increased through the seasons, though her last name is known only through [[Word of God]].

* Jonathan (Maulik Pancholy) - Jack's [[The Renfield|worshipful]] assistant in the first five seasons. At times, he's hinted to have a gay crush on Jack. Between seasons five and six, his actor became a regular on ''[[Whitney]]'' and Jonathan [[Chuck Cunningham Syndrome|disappeared without explanation]].

* [[Aborted Arc]]: Liz's plan to adopt. Lampshaded in season 5's "Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning".

'''Liz''': ''[uninterested]'' Yeah. }}

* [[Accidental Marriage]]: Jack and Liz in "Mrs. Donaghy"

'''Jack:''' ''You'' did! ''You'' weaked it! }}

* [[Alter Ego Acting]]: Both Jane Krakowski and Tracy Morgan's recent commercials for Florida orange juice and Wheat Thins (respectively) almost seem like they were intended to be played by Jenna & Tracy Jordan.

** Much of Tracy's insane behavior is patterned on actual Hollywood celebrity behavior; for example, Tracy has his Oscar claimed by a Native American...just like [[Marlon Brando]].

*** Of course, unlike Brando (who was [[Small Name, Big Ego|insane]]), Tracy simply had ''a mouth full of Pop-Tarts.''

* [[Amazing Freaking Grace]]: Sung by Jenna in "Don Geiss, America, and Hope," but cut off by the opening credits.

'''Frank:''' Tracy, I know it's you...and yeah }}

'''Tracy:''' That one's a puzzler. }}

'''Jonathan''': But I can't do that, sir! Then you wouldn't be perfect anymore! }}

'''[[As Himself|Larry King]]''': Tracy Jordan, [[Lampshade Hanging|saying three serious things, and then a joke.]] }}

* [[Artifact Title]]: An in-show version. The TV show Liz writes for was originally called ''The Girlie Show'', meant to be a sketch-comedy show "by women, for women." Jack ended that in the pilot episode, adding Tracy to the cast and giving him top billing in ''TGS With Tracy Jordan.'' Liz still has the original "Girlie Show" logo hanging in her office.

** Even more so in "TGS Hates Women"

* [[Ascended Extra]]: In Season 3, Danny the "robot" street performer can be seen during a date montage with Jack and Elisa ([[Salma Hayek]]). In season 4, Jack hires him as a regular cast member. Doubles as a [[Brick Joke]].

* [[As Long as It Sounds Foreign]]: The German translated as “Yeah” in “Black Tie.” The rest of the conversation is correct, though.

* [[Audience Murmurs]]: Parodied more than once--in "Let's Stay Together" Rob Reiner quite clearly says "Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb, peas-and-carrots rhubarb" at a Congressional hearing.

* [[Author Tract]]: an obvious parody of ''Studio 60'' in an early episode, ending with Lemon confusing herself and saying that she needs to read more.

'''Jenna:''' No you don't, Oprah! }}

** The first rule of improv, of course, being "no negation."

* [[Bald of Awesome]]: Pete

* [[Ballad of X]]: Season 6 episode "The Ballad of Kenneth Parcell"

* [[The Beard]]: In "Klaus and Greta" Jenna is a Beard for James Franco and his love of a body pillow.

* [[Bedsheet Ghost]]: In "The Return of Avery Jessup" Jack throws Avery a party combining all the holidays she missed, including Halloween, and New York City Mayor Bloomberg wears this as his costume.

{{quote|'''Liz: WHERE'S MY MAC AND CHEESE?!!''' *Flips writer's table over* }}

'''Jenna:''' IF IT IS A BLONDE WOMAN, I WILL KILL MYSELF! }}

'''Tracy:''' ''New cast member?!'' [[Call Back|If it is a blonde woman, I will kill myself!]] }}

** Lampshaded in the season 4 finale when Nancy confronts him about loving two people at once. "Haven't you ever read ''Archie''?"

* [[Big Applesauce]]: actually filmed there, though.

** A Japanese man is shown singing a Japanese version of "I've Been Working on the Railroad" at a karaoke bar in season 4. What he sings and what the prompt says are ''totally'' different, but they are both about railroads. What Jenna is doing on the screen is completely unrelated (from cavorting with a man in a field to strangling an old Japanese man, and so on.)

** In Season 3 Episode 14 "The Funcooker" the original name for the new portable microwave was the Bite Nuker. Unfortunately, as Jack pointed out, in a combination of Dutch and French it means {{spoiler|"Dick Fucker".}}

* [[Bi the Way]]: Sue (although the instances of this that we have seen may all have been [[If It's You It's Okay]] and/or [[Funny Foreigner]])

* [[Black Like Me]]: Parodied: in one episode Jenna and Tracy get into an argument whether it's harder to be black or be a woman. Let's just say the end results were less than [[White Chicks|convincing]].

'''Jenna''': ''(singing)'' [[The Wiz|Ease on down, ease on down the road!]] }}

* [[Bland-Name Product]]: In "St. Patrick's Day" the writers (and later Jack) play a fantasy resource management board game called ''[[Settlers of Catan|Colonizers of Malar]]''.

* [[The Blank]]: On a show within a show episode, we see a manager whose face appeared to be blurred for the camera, but we learn he has "Blurry Face Syndrome."

** In an early episode Jack reads Kenneth’s file to see his potential as a threat, he seems deeply off-set by a number similarities between them but also randomly that Kenneth’s middle name is "Ellen". Four seasons latter Kenneth receives Jack's paycheck by accident and gleefully exclaims that Jack "Francis" Donaghy has a girl's middle name "Just like me!"

* [[Call Back]]: In a season one episode Liz goes to Cleveland, which seems like a paradise to her after living in New York. She calls it "The Cleve". Next season she turns in a neighbor she suspects to be a terrorist, only to learn from an audition video that he is merely trying out for ''[[The Amazing Race]]''. When listing the places he has gone, he mentions "The Cleve". Cue raised eyebrow from Liz.

** In the third episode of season one, long before any of Liz' love interests are introduced on-screen, Pete goes through a list of her former boyfriends. Two of the three later show up, including Conan O'Brien, and Dennis features in a few multi-episode arcs. The latter is notable for originally being "the guy who plays X-Box under the handle [[Slut Banger]]", which is completely appropriate for his character.

** Tom Hanks appeared in "100". The song he sings while he knits is the theme song from [[Bosom Buddies (TV series)|Bosom Buddies]].

** In "Double-Edged Sword" Jack and Avery are horrified at the prospect their baby might be born in Canada.

* [[Catapult Nightmare]] / /[[Dream Within a Dream]]: Tracy and Pete both have sex dreams about Kenneth in "Floyd".

** And Jack Donaghy's iconic "Good God Lemon".

** [[Lampshaded]] in "Queen of Jordan"

'''Devon:''' No, I mean the ''religion'' founded by the ''alien king'' living ''inside'' Stan Lee. }}

* [[Clap Your Hands If You Believe]]: In "100" Jenna somehow generates a baby bump by virtue of wanting to get pregnant hard enough. It immediately vanishes when Hank Hooper offers her a talk show deal.

'''Jack:''' ...Me too. }}

** In "Live Show", Jack mentions that he agreed not to drink while Avery is pregnant ( {{spoiler|although he ends up drinking with Liz at the end of the episode}}). In "Christmas Attack Zone," he is shown drinking water while Liz and Milton drink wine. In another episode, Jack is seen drinking throughout. A line in the epilogue mentions that Avery made him sleep on the couch for a week for breaking his promise.

** Alternate Jack also wears a tuxedo noting thats it's after 6:00, a nod to Jack's former habit.

* [[Contractual Purity]]: A wool company imposes a morality clause on Jenna after taking her on as a spokeswoman, which Paul takes ire with because it requires him to cover up his gender-dysmorphic bigenitalian pansexuality.

* [[Creator Breakdown]]: Apparently Liz tried her hand at writing a novel once. Jenna opens to an early page to find "Liz stabbed Jenna repeatedly."

** Inverted in "Cooter," when a "gay bomb" weapon malfunctions, causing Jack and Cooter to hit on each other. Later flashbacks reveal Jack was also involved with the generals in the room, and then-vice-president Dick Cheney. Later still in a confessional Jack claims to have sodomized Cheney.

'''Jack:''' ''(hungrily)'' Let's do this. }}

'''Pete:''' No! I-I walked into a door, ah, I'm so clumsy... }}

** Abby Flynn in one episode. {{spoiler|Subverted in that it was all an act to disguise herself from her psychotic ex-husband, who saw ''[[Sleeping with the Enemy]]'' and ''[[Se7en]]'' while being electrocuted.}}

** A NYC-specific event occurs in season 4, episode 4, when Jack<ref> due to his unfamiliarity with the subway system</ref> addresses the subway car for directions on how to transfer to the '4' train and everyone does their best to ignore him<ref> As they would a homeless person</ref>. Jack is infested with bed bugs.

* [[Drinking Contest]]: "Sandwich Day"

* [[Erotic Dream]]/[[Homoerotic Dream]]: In "Floyd," Tracy and Jenna are forced into listening to Kenneth's stories for several hours. Tracy begins to have dreams about Kenneth trying to get it on with him. Subverted with Jenna; she states her dreams about Kenneth are very "graphic." Turns out they are very detailed about them getting married and having lots of kids. Pete also has one involving Kenneth and Liz during [[The Stinger]].

* [[Escalating War]]: The set of pranks between Frank, Toofer, and Lutz against Danny and Jack in "Floyd."

** Also, the Frank/Toofer rivalry from "Secrets and Lies"

** Liz and Jack get into one of these in Season 5, after {{spoiler|they accidentally get married}}.

* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: Grizz and Dot Com (While not at all evil, admittedly) are horrified that Tracy wants to start dog fighting (Only because Jack told him it was the only thing He absolutely could not do). They stop him by only bringing him puppies to fight.

* [[Everyone Owns a Mac]]: "[[Product Placement|Promotional considerations]] furnished by Apple"

** Tracy is hyperparanoid about racism as well. He thinks ''everyone'' at TGS is racist, and has supposedly learned derogatory terms for blacks in every language throughout history - including ''dolphin''.

'''Tracy:''' ''(from the hallway)'' That's a fifteenth-century term for a black pirate. Racist! }}

'''Pete:''' [[The Princess and the Frog|Tiana]], [[Mulan]], [[Pocahontas]], [[Aladdin (Disney film)|Jasmine]]... Wow, she's right! }}

* [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]]: Tracy's movie "Hard to Watch", which reduces everyone to tears.

'''Liz:''' Okay, ''Jeffrey''... }}

* [[Fake Charity]]: Jack's conman brother takes a collection for "Chicago All-Saints Hospital" (C.A.S.H.)

* [[Fashion Shop Fashion Show]]: In the episode "Flu Shot" the trope is played straight for two seconds in a flashback sequence, with Tracy and Jenna.

'''Jenna:''' Sometimes I was like this [shakes head no], but other times I was like this [gives thumbs up]. }}

* [[Fate Drives Us Together]]: the only reason Wesley Snipes (not [[Name's the Same|that]] one) made any appearances after his first.

* [[Feud Episode]]: "The Rural Juror"

** Liz also {{spoiler|discovers that the group of rich unemployed women she's been hanging out with is in actuality a Fight Club}} in "Jackie Jormp Jomp".

** [[Fridge Brilliance]]: In "Secrets and Lies" Jenna said to Liz the following:

* [[Flipping the Table]]: "''WHERE'S MY MAC AND CHEESE?''" (episode "Sandwich Day")

'''Liz:''' ''(calling over her shoulder as she walks into her office)'' That is wrong! Lift with your legs! }}

* [[Foregone Conclusion]]: If "100"'s future!Jack is to be believed (and he ''does'' know more than he should), {{spoiler|Jack won't end up with Avery--which ends up true. Avery is kidnapped by Kim Jong-Il and forcibly married to Kim's successor, Kim Jong-Un.}}.

* [[Foreshadowing]]: In "Respawn", Liz's Spanish lesson tape teaches her the phrase "disaster imminent" just before Tracy destroys her glass tabletop with a stray golfball.

* [[Freaky Friday Flip]]: Parodied. Kenneth has an enemy for the first time, and isn't really sure what to do, except . . .

** Why is Jenna such an [[Attention Whore]]? Every Christmas her negligent mother made her sing as a distraction while Jenna's mother shoplifted. Those few minutes that people were actually paying attention were the best parts of her Christmases.

* [[Friends Rent Control]]: Averted--Liz's apartment is pretty nice, but quite modestly sized by the standards of anywhere in America but Manhattan. It ''is'' in Manhattan, and she ''is'' a network TV executive. In the DVD commentary for "Black Tie," Tina Fey points out how ludicrously expensive Liz's apartment would be. Then again, the high rent might explain why Liz makes [[Show Runner]] money and yet her only assets are $12,000 in checking and a gas giant named in her honor.

** CLASS: Consuming Lunch And Simple Socializing ("Now that just seems intentionally confusing.")

** In "Respawn" Dr. Spacemen tells Liz to get some "R&R--Rum & Ritalin."

*** In a season 3 episode, Jack and Drew both speak awful French, which is subtitled as a bunch of nonsense letters.

* [[Game Show Appearance]]: In "When It Rains It Pours", Tracy Jordan hops into a cab to go to the hospital where his wife is in labor, only to find that it is the ''[[Cash Cab]]''. {{spoiler|He wins.}}

** [[Fridge Brilliance]]: In an early episode Tracy learned that he is a descendant of Thomas Jefferson, which could explain his fascination.

* [[George Jetson Job Security]]: pretty much everyone but Tracy.

* [[Glamour Failure]]

* [[Good Angel, Bad Angel]]: parodied in "Black Tie".

* [[Hammerspace]]

* [[Happily Married]]: Tracy and Angela Jordan. [[Good Parents]], too. Yet that very image is what Jordan fears will get out; his reputation is built on an [[Urban Legend Love Life]] and generally being "hard," so if those go, so do his [[Celebrity Endorsement]] checks. And, ironically, his financial stability.

* [[Has Two Thumbs And]]: "Succession"

'''Randy:''' ''(disturbed)'' I should probably go. }}

'''Liz:''' A lady never tells. }}

** In-universe: {{spoiler|Avery}} does this on her news show.

'''Tracy:''' I've seen a blind guy bite a police horse! A puppy committed suicide after he saw our bathroom! I once bit into a burrito and there was a child's shoe in it! I've seen a hooker eat a tire! A pack of wild dogs took over and successfully ran a Wendy's! The sewer people stole my skateboard! The projects I lived in were named after Zachary Taylor, generally considered to be one of the worst presidents of all time! I once saw a baby give another baby a tattoo! They were very drunk! }}

* [[How's Your British Accent?]]/[[Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping]]: Lampshaded/parodied. In the first season Jack has a posh English art-dealer girlfriend named Phoebe, played by Emily Mortimer. Liz is suspicious of Phoebe and they have a confrontation that ends with an angry Phoebe slipping into an American accent for exactly one line. Liz immediately figures out that Phoebe isn't English at all. (Of course the joke is that Emily Mortimer IS English.)

* [[Hypocrisy Nod]]: frequent, especially in the vicinity of [[Product Placement]]

* [[I Always Wanted to Say That]]: From "The Tuxedo Begins"

** [[Invoked Trope|Invoked]] by Liz in ''The Shower Principle''. Later, it becomes a [[Running Gag]] in the episode.

'''Dr. Spaceman:''' ''(giggling)'' I think it’s the hard K sound that’s making me giggle. Kidney! }}

* [[Initialism Title]]: The [[Show Within a Show]] T.G.S.

'''Jack''': I'll take that as a compliment. An Wang, the founder of Wang computers, is one of the greatest businessmen of the twentieth century. }}

* [[Irony]]: In the competition for Don Geiss's CEO position, the head of the stress ball division cracked under pressure and, uh...hanged himself.

* [[I Take Offense to That Last One]]: In "Idiots are People Three!" Liz is forced to read a pre-written apology to an idiot anti-defamation league. She has to credit them with such great achievements like the Birther movement, intelligent design, and water parks, but stops reading from the apology because water parks are the worst item on that list.

* [[Ivy League for Everyone]]: Pretty much. Jack went to Princeton and Harvard Business School, Liz to Bryn Mawr, Jenna to Northwestern, Toofer to Harvard. Milton Greene teaches at Bennington.(Justified, though: this ''is'' the highly competitive corporate end of the entertainment industry we're talking about. And Kenneth studied TV theory at Kentucky Mountain Bible College.)

* [[Jump the Shark]]: An in-universe discussion: in the episode "The One with the Cast of ''[[Night Court]]''," Jenna Maroney was blamed by Harry Anderson, Markie Post, and Charles Johnson for making ''[[Night Court]]'' "jump the shark" for her three part episode as werewolf lawyer Sparky Monroe.

'''Jenna''': ''(insulted)'' Uh, that "idiot werewolf" paid for my hand reduction surgery, okay? }}

* [[Karma Houdini]]: After winning his Oscar, Tracy thinks he's garnered too much of the public's respect for him to be able to pull off his usual antics. In "100" he goes on several talk shows in an attempt to re-ruin his reputation, but people love him too much to take it as anything but admirable honesty or being "real".

** In "Queen of Jordan" we find that when he was in junior high school he had a Mary Kay Letourneau-style affair with his teacher, played by [[Susan Sarandon]].

* [[Lampshade Hanging]]: SO MUCH. In fact the constant lampshading of television tropes is one of the running themes of ''30 Rock''.

** Again with season six episode "Live from Studio 6H".

** [[Butt Monkey|Pete again]] in "MILF Island" when he throws his wedding ring at a phone. In this case, Pete's arm was stuck in a vending machine and he would presumably be freed if he only managed to dial the four digit extension of anyone in the building. He succeeds {{spoiler|in dialing his own extension.}}

'''Jack:''' Because I'm listening to the words. }}

* [["Ma'am" Shock]]: Liz simply purses her lips and shakes her head at no one in particular when a judge calls her "Miss, I mean ma'am" in "Respawn.

* [[The Magic Poker Equation]]: Subverted in "First Date," when Jack's pair of 2s beat Kenneth's King-High.

* [[Manic Pixie Dream Girl]]: Claire Harper, played by Jennifer Aniston in season 3.

'''Jenna:''' Oh, I know. She's going to make us buy more of her homemade jewellery. Birds always attack me when I wear it. }}

** And true to form, she {{spoiler|also steals a police officer's gun and lets Jack take the blame. [[Played for Laughs]] of course}}

* [[Meaningful Echo]]: In "MILF Island," Liz and a cutthroat Reality TV contestant say the same line simultaneously.

'''Jack:''' Those shoes are definitely bi-curious. }}

'''Liz:''' Kind of. }}

{{quote|'''Liz''': I have a new life philosophy that I call Lizbeanism...I'm Liz and obviously my philosophy is simple like a bean. Lizbeanism means that I am a dike... [[Cue Card Pause|against]] the rising waters of mediocrity.}}

* [[Ms. Fanservice]]: lampshaded with Cerie in season one; Elisa in season 3.

* [[Music Video Syndrome]]: Parodied in the finale of season 4, where Jack and Avery [[Sorry I Left the BGM On|can't hear each other]] over the song.

** Jack and Liz are convinced that other races don't even have the privilege to say "Puerto Rican."

'''Jack:''' Wow, that does ''not'' sound right... }}

{{quote|Tracy [plaintively]: I even called a basketball team a bunch of nappy hoes, but apparentally I'm allowed to do that? ''Why?''}}

* [[Never Learned to Read]]: In "Jack-Tor" Liz comes to the mistaken conclusion that Tracy can't read, and Tracy uses this as an excuse to goof off.

* [[Nietzsche Wannabe]]: Kenneth briefly becomes a parody of one in the season 4 episode "Secret Santa."

** Liz becomes one in "The Tuxedo Begins," even going so far as dressing like [[The Dark Knight|Heath Ledger's version]] of [[The Joker]].

* [[No Hugging, No Kissing]]: [[Word of God|Fey]]'s stance on the show in general, and specifically on Liz and Jack getting together. {{spoiler|They've even been ''married'' without doing any of this.}}

** Late Season Six, and they finally do as part of a [[Fake-Out Make-Out]] to protect one of Jack's secrets. It's . . . ''horrifying.'' [[No Sparks]] is putting mildly. It's portrayed as a great sacrifice for both parties.

* [[Not-So-Great Escape]]: lampshaded; Liz says, "This would've worked on ''[[Ugly Betty]]''."

** And spoken again by Jack in "Season 4".

* [[Older Than They Look]]/[[Running Gag]]: Kenneth is, at the very least, over 40. Depending on how many other one-off jokes you consider "canon", he's also owned a parrot for 60 years and is trying to hide the fact that he's [[Really Seven Hundred Years Old|been alive forever]]. Lampshaded in season 4. Frank's iPhone plays an irritating tone that can be heard only by those under 25, and a separate irritating tone that can only be heard by those over 40. Kenneth staggers by, holding his ears in agony and we're not sure which tone he's reacting to, if not both. When his page uniform is changed:

** In a recent episode, a concerned Kenneth asked Jack how the Kabletown buyout would change page rules like age restrictions for "a friend."

** After seeing a pre-taped obituary for Tracy Jordan in the season 5 episode "Gentleman's Intermission":

** In "Que Sorpresa" Kenneth is pitching an idea to Jack about censoring inappropriate images on TV, and points to himself when he says that some things may not be appropriate for "the elderly".

** In Season Four's "Into the Crevasse" there is a short scene depicting a 50's styled music video about microwaves. Jack [[Mc Brayer]] can be seen dancing.

** In early Season 4, Kenneth reassures Jenna during a crisis with an analogy from [[The Brady Brunch]]. Jenna says she doesn't remember the show, as she was too young, then looks confusedly at Kenneth. There follows a brief awkward pause, then both laugh nervously and change the topic.

*** Not a Kenneth example. Following the the Brady Bunch analogy Jenna does state that she was too young to have watched the show and then looks at Kenneth as though challenging him to point out that she's lying. There is a pause and he does not point it out, and then she laughs awkwardly while he is sincere.

'''Jack Welch:''' I don't think so. }}

* [[Orbital Shot]]: "The Problem Solvers", "It's Never Too Late For Now"

'''Kenneth:''' ''(glances at the corner of the screen, [[No Export for You|where the NBC logo is placed]])'' Actually... }}

** Season four begins with Jack addressing the camera and welcoming everyone to season four. Of course, it turns out that he's talking to the other characters, and Season Four is the name of the restaurant they are at.

** An early episode of season 4 begins with Pete and Liz talking in her office about the people Jack is going to see audition. As Pete gives the following line, Liz quickly and briefly smiles and nods at the camera:

** The season five cold open ends with Liz saying, "Okay, season five. Here we go..."

** In "Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning" Liz tries to tell Jack what a [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=snart "snart"] is because it's past [[Watershed|10:00]]...AM.

** In ''Grandmentor'':

'''Tracy:''' ''(screaming from inside his dressing room)'' We're in a [[Show Within a Show]]! My name is Tracy Morgan! }}

* [[Parallel Porn Titles]]: In "Don Geiss, America, and Hope" the Kabletown executive reveals that their highest revenues come from porn. Cue the porn movie titles.

** ''[[Avatar (film)|Assatar]]''

** ''[[The Lovely Bones|The Lovely Boners]]''

** ''[[The Blind Side|The Hind Side]]''

** ''[[Push (novel)|Fresh-Ass: Based on the Novel Tush By Assfire]]''

* [[Pie in the Face]]: "Flu Shot"

{{quote|'''Frank:''' [[555|That's not even enough numbers!]] }}

** Parodied when Jenna is made [[The Beard]] for James Franco. They get the portmanteau "James."

** Liz calls Jack and Avery "Javery."

'''Jenna:''' I love Jamba Juice! }}

'''Jack:''' Of course. It continues to be the gold standard by which all business technology is judged. Cisco: The Human Network...Did you just mute me!? Did you just use Cisco’s cutting-edge sure-mute technology to mute me!? }}

'''Jack:''' ''(near tears)'' You're cleared for approach! }}

* [[Retirony]]: One of the maintenance guys is on his last day in "100". There's also a gas leak.... {{spoiler|He ends up getting shot in the abdomen.}}

'''Devon:''' It's just G now, Jack, I sold the E, to Samsung, they're Samesung now! }}

* [[The Scottish Trope]]: In "The Shower Principle" Jenna freaks out when asked to perform a TGS sketch that mentions Shakespeare's play ''[[Macbeth]]''.

* [[Sending Stuff to Save the Show]]: In universe, Kenneth tries to save TGS by sending sugar cubes to say that fans are "Sweet on TGS." The problem with this is that the sugar cubes would end up crushed during the mailing process, and, well, Kenneth gets tackled by a SWAT team for seemingly mailing anthrax around.

* [[Series Continuity Error]]: In the pilot, it is clear that ''The Girlie Show'' has been around for some time--new GE television executive Jack Donaghy hires Tracy Jordan to save an already established show. But by Season 5 of ''30 Rock'' we are told that ''TGS with Tracy Jordan'' is also starting its fifth season.

** [[Fridge Brilliance]] The Girlie Show was well established. TGS with Tracy Jordan only began when Tracy Jordan joined TGS.

'''Kenneth''': You see all the good that is in them? All the capacity for love? Give me more time Jacob, I BEG OF YOU! }}

** Kim Jong-Il's speech is peppered with completely non sequitur references of various Western films like "[[Star Wars|Luke I am your father!]] [[Ghostbusters]]!"

** In ''Christmas Attack Zone'', Tracy has the same epiphany as John Sullivan in ''[[Sullivan's Travels]]'' when showing a comedy instead of a tragedy to a woman's shelter.

* [[Soundtrack Dissonance]]: A beautifully simple rendition of "Ave Maria" played on a trumpet during {{spoiler|Don Geiss' funeral-slash-freezing}} continues to play in the background while Jack pitches his horrifically stereotypical "porn for women" idea to Kabletown executives.

* [[Split-Screen Phone Call]]: "Somebody to Love"

* [[Spotlight-Stealing Title]]: the [[Show Within a Show]] ''The Girlie Show'' becomes ''TGS with Tracy Jordan'' thanks to Jack's [[Executive Meddling]].

{{quote|Kenneth: . . . ''and I don't know how long I can keep this up!''}}

** In "Respawn" Liz spouts a bunch of strawman liberal catchphrases to try and "cheer up" Jack back into his usual cutthroat self.

** Any asides of supposed ''TGS'' sketches. Or any other supposed shows (''MILF Island'': "25 [[Hot Shounen Mom|super hot moms]]. 50 [[Junior High|eighth-grade]] boys. [[Squick|No rules]].")

'''Jenna:''' Jenny McCarthy died? But who could've been slowly poisoning her? Was she poisoned? I have no way of knowing because I'm just hearing about it. }}

'''Sorkin''': Shut up. }}

* [[Talking to Themself]]: When Liz gets a "Dealbreakers" talk show, she cracks under the pressure and develops a split personality "performer Liz" that bears a strong resemblance to neurotic Jenna.

** During the [[Live Show]], Jack states he feels like he's in a Mexican soap opera (thanks to the live video feed, instead of the show being filmed as usual.)

* [[Team Mom]]: Toofer outright says that Liz is that, using it as an explanation as to why Liz isn't invited to the writers' parties: "You don't wanna go drinking with your mom." Of course, {{spoiler|he was trying to convince an angry Liz to save them from a rabid dog at the time.}} True in the sense that Liz is usually the one keeping the writers and cast from killing each others or themselves.

** In the episode "MILF Island", someone tells a newspaper reporter that Jack is a "class-A moron". Jack then tells Liz about how that insult particularly hurts his feelings: as a child, he had low self-esteem and a stutter, and he was often bullied and called a class-A moron by his peers. At the end of the episode Jack becomes so distressed about it that he starts to stutter again ("Whoever said that, they meant it. They think I'm a moron like Gilly and everyone else... It's just k-killing me that someone would say that about me... L-Liz, I g-g-guess I'll always b-b-b-be that k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k...") {{spoiler|Liz gets so upset that she admits to being the one that told the paper that Jack was a moron. Subverted though in that Jack was making the whole thing up and was just guilting Liz into admitting she had done it.}}

* [[That Came Out Wrong]]

'''Jack''': No one is; it's just happening. }}

'''Randy:''' It would be if it was 2006! }}

'''Jack''': "Of history! What emergency could we possibly need you for? To tell us if [[The Sixties]] were awesome or not?" }}

* [[Twofer Token Minority]]: James Spurlock, both "a Black guy and a Harvard guy", is nicknamed "Toofer."

'''Pete:''' Threefer, cause you’re also gay. }}

* [[Unlucky Everydude]](tte): Liz Lemon

** Cerie considers naming her daughter "Bookcase", "Sandstorm" or "Hat", but thinks that Hat is more of a boy's name.

'''Jack:''' It’s true. It was love at first sight. I ache for her sexually. How could I not? I’m entranced by those mud-colored eyes set back in that skin. And her laugh. Her walk, that splay-footed walk, and that... whole situation... right there. And... oh... mustache? ''(aside)'' '''''[[Brain Bleach|Good GOD, Lemon!]]''''' }}

*** In ''What Will Happen Next Year'', Kim Jong-Il gets exasperated and ''demands'' Jack and Liz become a couple in Season 7, citing shows like ''[[Moonlighting]]'', telling the writers not to overthink it and just do it.

** In "Hey Baby, What's Wrong", Lutz accidentally hits on Liz ([[It Makes Sense in Context]]), leading to this line from Tracy:

* [[With Lyrics]]: In the pilot, the "Pam, The Overly-Confident Morbidly Obese Woman" theme is the ''30 Rock' theme with lyrics. The lyrics are never heard again.

'''Jenna''': Why not?! Oh... I mean, thank you. }}

* [[Wound That Will Not Heal]]: In "Argus" Pete reveals where Jenna bit him.

** In "Cleveland" Phoebe says she wants to be Jack's Yoko, much to Liz's horror.

** In "Meet the Woggels!" Jenna sets out to "Yoko" a band.

* [[You Monster!]]: Liz says this to Jack when he reveals who gets kicked out of Top Chef.

'''Devon:''' [[Berserk Button|You don't tell me what kind of pizza to like!]] }}

* [[Your Mom]]: Frank, Toofer and Lutz engage in a prank war against Jack. Jack responds by sending them a tape of himself in Frank's mom's bedroom. He tells them he's been a perfect gentleman, but if the pranks don't stop, he won't be next time. Then he reminds Toofer and Lutz that they also have mothers.

** Jack tells Devon in "Into the Crevasse" that tomorrow's newspaper will read: "Donaghy Saves GE, Marries Your Mom".

** Liz gets one in on a rude flower shop employee in "Up All Night."