Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Why does this feel a little bit like a eulogy? Liz, Jack, Tracy, Kenneth, and Jenna: I’m going to miss seeing you in my queue so dearly! I’m starting to get misty eyed just thinking about it. Of course, 30 Rock won’t die when all seven seasons of the 11-time Emmy winner are removed from Netflix on October 1 — if you subscribe to Hulu, you’ll still be able to watch. But the news still came as a shock to those of us who have been streaming our favorite comedy on repeat for what feels like twenty-five years.
There was something about 30 Rock that let it move seamlessly into streaming culture. Maybe it was being able to jump in on any episode for a quick pick me up (because, let’s face it, they were all that good). Or maybe having the power to pause and rewind finally allowed us to catch every single joke tucked inside Jenna Maroney’s devilishly complicated monologues. And, of course, a big part of it was just being able to easily recommend the game-changing comedy to loved ones by saying, “It’s on Netflix! Watch a couple of episodes. You’ll see.”
Before Netflix decided to go off and make its own award-winning content, 30 Rock was one of the service’s first example of must-see TV. It’s why I subscribed in the first place.
If you’re too busy to drop everything in order to binge seven seasons of 30 Rock before it’s leaving Netflix at the end of the month, then first of all please reexamine your priorities and ask yourself why Tina isn’t higher on your list. (Honestly, the youngest person to ever receive The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor deserves more from you.) If you’ve already done this and recognize that you still have to work and eat and stuff, there’s no need to worry. I have compiled just 10 episodes of the classic NBC sitcom to revisit one last time. These 10 perfect comedy time capsules represent the best of what this one-of-a-kind network series had to offer: an insanely high density of jokes per minute, ridiculously quotable catch phrases, and some important feel-good moments that will make you wish you could live with these nerds in the TGS studio forever.
Liz Finds Her Voice
“Tracy Does Conan,” Season 1 Episode 7
Why it’s iconic: After a rocky start, 30 Rock began to pick up the pace in the middle of its first season. The show was low rated early on, so a new batch of strong storylines that started with this episode and continued through the rest of the year probably saved our dear show from an early cancellation. Also features the iconic Rachel Dratch as a little blue man that haunts Tracy in his hallucinations. The weirder, the better, 30 Rock.
Joke of the Episode:
One of the most iconic in sitcom history, mind you.
Liz: Why are you wearing a tux?
Jack: It’s after six. What am I, a farmer?
Rachel Dratch is the Real Star of This Show
“The Rural Juror,” Season 1, Episode 10
I was eleven when I first saw this episode on TV, and I remember feeling very adult whenever I got a joke. Most (all) of the complicated pop culture references went over my head, but you can be sure I got why The Rural Juror was so funny. It was hard to say! I remember saying “rural juror” and “urban fervor” repeatedly. For months. I was not very popular.
Joke of the Episode:
Rachel Dratch as Barbara Walters interviewing Jenna on The View. The entire segment. One of many iconic Dratch characters throughout the series.
Liz Meets Princess Leia
“Rosemary’s Baby,” Season 2, Episode 4
Why it’s iconic: Carrie Fisher, Carrie Fisher, Carrie Fisher! After its first season, 30 Rock quickly became a game of, ‘Look How Famous Tina Fey’s Friends Are.’ And it was so fun to watch.
An aside: When I first watched Carrie say, “Help me, Liz Lemon. You’re my only hope,” I didn’t get it because I hadn’t seen Star Wars. Now I understand, kind of. Princess Leia said it to Darth Vader or something.
Joke of the Episode:
One of the most iconic lines in 30 Rock:
Jack: Never go with a hippie to a second location.
Liz Almost Meets Oprah
“Believe in the Stars,” Season 3, Episode 2
Why it’s iconic: Oprah. They got Oprah. Read the Oprah chapter in Tina Fey’s book to learn just how stressful it was to nail down that footage. It’s a miracle that we ever got to see Liz and Oprah hug on a plane. Also, a Jenna and Tracy argument leads to them reversing roles, meaning Tracy dresses as a white woman and Jenna as a black man. It’s next-level bonkers.
Joke of the Episode:
Oprah sits next to Liz. Liz is heavily sedated for her plane ride
Liz: I’ma call you back. I snitting next to Borpo.
Watch the "Believe In The Stars" episode of 30 Rock on Netflix
Remember When John Hamm and Tina Fey Were a Couple?
“The Bubble,” Season 3, Episode 15
Why it’s iconic: Even though Liz ends her relationship with Dr. Baird by the episode’s conclusion, this is still the best of the season three John Hamm arc. (Also, this is probably a good time to remind you that 30 Rock and Mad Men do exist in the same universe. Liz’s mom was a secretary at Sterling Cooper, among other notable similarities.)
Joke of the episode:
Jenna: Everyone shout out words that describe my beauty!
Pete: Fading.
Cerie: 80s.
Richard Esposito: 1880s.
The One Where Liz Cries Out of Her Mouth
“Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001,” Season 4, Episode 7
Why it’s iconic: “Liz Lemon’s got her very own talk show,” says Liz right before she sings an original song that ends with, “somebody bring me some ham!” Whoopi Goldberg makes her second guest appearance in this show. And Liz gets that insane asymmetrical haircut and an off brand eye surgery that makes her cry out of her mouth. Things get uncomfortably weird but also make you cry? How lovely it is to watch.
Joke of the episode:
After Jenna locks herself in her dressing room:
Liz: Jenna, what’s wrong?
Jenna: My niece drew a picture of me, and I look so fat!
Watch "The Dealbreakers Talk Show #0001" episode of 30 Rock on Netflix
The Perfect Holiday Episode
“Christmas Attack Zone,” Season 5, Episode 10
Why it’s iconic: Jack invites Liz to spend Christmas Eve with his family, which goes about as explosively as expected. Elaine Stritch proves once again why she was always Tina Fey’s secret comedy weapon. I screamed when Jack’s mother said: “Most people thought I was a hero for killing Lydia’s parrot.”
Joke of the episode:
Liz: Who hasn’t made mistakes? I once french kissed a dog at a party to impress what turned out to be a very tall twelve-year-old.
Watch the "Christmas Attack Zone" episode of 30 Rock on Netflix
'30 Rock' Goes Sentimental
“Dance Like Nobody’s Watching,” Season 6, Episode 1
Why it’s iconic: Jenna plays a mean celebrity judge to perfection on the reality show America’s Kidz Got Singing. Liz is in a good mood, and Tracy reacts to this unusual behavior by calling her a “crack whore.” Kenneth sees the ocean for the first time in his entire (immortal) life. Liz kisses a mystery man to Jack’s great surprise.
Joke of the episode:
Jenna: Because of America’s Kidz Got Singing, I am blowing up. When you Google “Jenna Maroney” now, I come up first, not the Jenna Maroney that electrocuted all those horses.
Liz: Jenna, that was you.
Watch the "Dance Like Nobody's Watching" episode of 30 Rock on Netflix
The Live Sitcom, Perfected
“Live From Studio 6H,” Season 6, Episode 18
30 Rock‘s first attempt at a live episode was valiant, but it didn’t land quite as well as this masterpiece celebration of live television. The sketches were brilliant. Guest stars (Amy Poehler, John Hamm, Jimmy Fallon, Donald Glover, Paul McCartney, you get it) were electric. This episode came at the perfect time to remind us that 30 Rock was perennially one of the most creative shows on television.
Joke of the Episode:
Dr. Leo Spaceman: Hello! I’m Nazi Doctor Heinrich Spaceman. We can edit that out, right? Oh, it’s live?
Watch the "Live From Studio 8H" episode of 30 Rock on Netflix
Princess Leia Marries Her Marzipan Prince
“Mazel Tov, Dummies,” Season 7 Episode 7
Why it’s iconic: Liz Lemon is getting married, and it’s everything we ever wanted it to be. She wears her Princess Leia costume. Jack does a reading from Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead. Tony Bennett sings in a courthouse. Normal things.
Joke of the Episode:
Jenna’s impassioned catchphrase for her Surge Cola commercial:
Jenna: Surge. Suck it down.
RELATED: The 10 Best 30 Rock Episodes
Cody Schmitz is a writer based in New York and Kansas. He doesn’t have a Twitter for some reason, but you can still find him at codyschmitz.com.
