Could they make 30 Rock today?

[ZOK]

Obviously not with Alec Baldwin in, ho ho!

 

But seriously folks, we’ve been watching this again on Prime and it’s great, just got to the end of series four and although the quality dips a little in that series it’s still good stuff. We never watched any of the others so it may take a nosedive, but hopefully not.

 

The reason I ask the question is I was reading something on Twitter about another show and a load of people started saying that 30 Rock would never be made today, and also it should never have been made, because it’s so offensive. And I’m not really sure why? As far as I can tell, mostly every character is supposed to be a grotesque version of that type of person, and because it’s so silly that’s why it’s funny. So what am I missing?

[Uncle Mike]

I don't see any reason that they couldn't make it today. Is it that offensive? I remember it as being silly not edgy.

[ZOK]

Yes, that’s how I see it. But I’m watching it with a middle-aged brain, so I’m alive to the possibility that I’m not aware of what would cause offence to more modern viewers.

[Paulando]

It’s so brilliant. Saying that, I think I’ve only seen S1 and S2, as I lost interest somewhere during S3 or S4 as it started to be more about star cameos than jokes. Interested in whether it picks up after that.

 

Still, that’s at least 40-odd episodes of near perfection. So many great lines and moments, that my wife and I quote to this day.

[SpagMasterSwift]

I've just realised you're not talking about 3rd Rock From The Sun...my brains has been going back over that show for the past hour trying to determine what was so offensive about it.

[schmojo]

Yeah, there are reasons that it would be made differently today. One of the most notable being the two episodes featuring blackface that have been removed from streaming services.

 

Essentially, and I think Tina Fey admitted this, she was trying to provide commentary on something she wasn't qualified to provide commentary on. It wasn't her place to. And, in presenting a massively diverse cast, I think some of the stereotyping would come under a bit more scrutiny. It throws a lot of them out there.

 

That said, I don't think the show made today would be enormously different, and could still be just as funny as it was then. Just more contemporary. Older people often think that curtailing offense is directly contrary to being funny, but it's not the case. You've just got to be smart, which Tina Fey obviously is. Despite going a little 'Cancel culture! Boo!' after the Golden Globes.

[ZOK]

4 minutes ago, SpagMasterSwift said:

I've just realised you're not talking about 3rd Rock From The Sun...my brains has been going back over that show for the past hour trying to determine what was so offensive about it.

An amazing show! Probably stacked full of stuff that doesn’t suit contemporary audiences though.

 

Now, I may be wrong, but isn’t Jenna’s mom Verna from 30 Rock the landlady from 3rd Rock?

[ZOK]

2 minutes ago, schmojo said:

One of the most notable being the two episodes featuring blackface that have been removed from streaming services.

Oh! I’ve never seen it other than streaming, so I’ve probably never seen them.

[Gotters]

I saw something the other day about the US Office saying it's clearly a program about a bloke trying to cop off with an engaged colleague whilst bullying and tormenting a mentally ill man with severe Aspergers. 

 

I guess that is a take on it.

[schmojo]

I think there's definitely an angle on the US Office that Jim is not a particularly nice person. But it doesn't ruin the show for me.

[cavalcade]

Considering MILF Island has now actually been made and is airing non-ironically on TV I think there might be a Thick Of It issue that stuff it sent up is just reality now. 

 

It was always a patchy show with some slightly Ill advised forays into blackface and racial stereotyping, but at its best it was brilliant and imaginative and certainly pushed more creative boundaries than it's notable peers like the US Office and Parks. 

[Broker]

I find the response to the black face episodes odd, as the entire point of them is that black face is disgusting and not funny. Similarly, the vast majority of the “offensive” stuff in 30 rock is the subject of ridicule and disgust. You’re not supposed to be agreeing with its characters and that is very clear. 
 

I watched all of it recently and it didn’t make me squirm with discomfort like parts of friends, scrubs and numerous other shows of that age. The Big Bang theory aired until 2019 and is more racist and sexist than most examples that are considered too offensive. 

[Ork1927]

5 hours ago, schmojo said:

I think there's definitely an angle on the US Office that Jim is not a particularly nice person. But it doesn't ruin the show for me.

 

My son is working his way through U.S Office now and I'm re-watching it on and off.  

 

Jim and (to a degree) Pam are no longer portrayed as the nicest of the characters as it moves into the later series.

[CarloOos]

The main gag in the now infamous ‘blackface’ episode was Tracy Jordan trying to prove that white women have it easier than black men by doing the whole ‘White Chicks’ thing. Jenna then tries to prove him wrong by blacking up, but is immediately sent to remove it by Liz. It was quite a brief gag and 100% in-character for Jenna, nowhere near as gratuitous as the various Always Sunny episodes which got removed. 

[schmojo]

49 minutes ago, Broker said:

I find the response to the black face episodes odd, as the entire point of them is that black face is disgusting and not funny. Similarly, the vast majority of the “offensive” stuff in 30 rock is the subject of ridicule and disgust. You’re not supposed to be agreeing with its characters and that is very clear. 

 

It's not really a question of how you perceive it. It's how those actually affected do. 

 

Or, in the ever eloquent words of Tina Few herself:

 

Quote

“As we strive to do the work and do better in regards to race in America, we believe that these episodes featuring actors in race-changing makeup are best taken out of circulation. I understand now that ‘intent’ is not a free pass for white people to use these images."

 

[Jimmyzilla]

Is it anywhere near enough for the show not to be made today though?  

[schmojo]

Nah, it'd just be made to reflect the current environment, as all good contemporary shows are. It'd still be great.

[Jimmyzilla]

At its core it's just a show about making a show.  Why couldn't it be made today?  Has Tina Fey stopped being funny?  Would Kenneth or Dr. Spaceman not work now?  They still release plenty of clips on youtube so what's the argument?

 

Are there any shows that literally couldn't be made now?

[Jimmyzilla]

Oh god...starting That 90's show makes me feel like I just have no idea...

[Halo]

No, it couldn’t, but not for the reasons you think. The young affluent coastal audience that watched it has now almost entirely abandoned broadcast TV.