Believe in the Stars (6 Nov. 2008)

Liz sits next to Oprah on her flight from Chicago to New York, Tracy and Jenna conduct a "social experiment" to settle a dispute, and Kenneth is disillusioned when he learns that some Olympic events were actually staged.

Director:

Don Scardino

Writers:

Tina Fey (creator), Robert Carlock,

Stars:

Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Tina Fey	...	Liz Lemon
Tracy Morgan	...	Tracy Jordan
Jane Krakowski	...	Jenna Maroney
Jack McBrayer	...	Kenneth Parcell
Scott Adsit	...	Pete Hornberger (credit only)
Judah Friedlander	...	Frank Rossitano
Alec Baldwin	...	Jack Donaghy
Katrina Bowden	...	Cerie
Keith Powell	...	Toofer
Kevin Brown	...	Dot Com
Grizz Chapman	...	Grizz
Maulik Pancholy	...	Jonathan
Oprah Winfrey	...	Oprah Winfrey
Raven Goodwin	...	Pam
Remy Auberjonois	...	Tyler Brody

Storyline

Liz sits next to Oprah on her flight from Chicago to New York, Tracy and Jenna conduct a "social experiment" to settle a dispute, and Kenneth is disillusioned when he learns that some Olympic events were actually staged.

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Plot Keywords:

oprah | olympics | sitcom | sketch | jury duty | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Release Date:

6 November 2008 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Silvercup Studios - 4222 22nd Street, Long Island City, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Universal Media Studios (UMS)

Did You Know?

Trivia

Frank's trucker hat reads "alien abductee".

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Goofs

When Jack bursts in on Tracy in his white woman make up, Tracy waves at him with a monster claw covering his right hand. Seconds before, when Liz pointed out that he was wearing the claw (which Tracy attributes to them running out of make up, since he insisted they also do his buttocks) it was on his left. When Tracy had walked up to Frank and Toofer earlier, there was make up on his right hand and he hid his left from view.

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Quotes

Liz Lemon: [drowsy from pills] I'ma call you back. I's sitting next to Borpo!

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Connections

Featured in The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Ease on Down the Road"
(uncredited)
Written by Charlie Smalls
Performed by Jane Krakowski

User Reviews

The one where Liz meets Oprah

After an excellent start, the third season of 30 Rock shows no signs of backing off in its second episode, throwing in even more insane gags, slapstick and gratuitous guest appearances (well, just one, but it's major), all in the name of great television comedy.

The plot consists of three definite strands that are eventually tied together: Jenna, irked because she received no payment for her voice work in Tracy's porn video game (remember the dubbing session in Season 2?), throws another of her tantrums, resulting in a "social experiment" between the two to sort out their racial/gender dispute; Kenneth, always the show's moral lynch-pin, is shocked when he discovers certain events at the Summer Olympics were staged (and his mentor Jack was in on the whole thing); and Liz, on a plane from Chicago to the Big Apple, happens to be sitting next to Oprah Winfrey (yeah, that's the real Oprah playing herself), who just happens to be one of her all-time great idols.

With the status quo restored in the season premiere, the show really hits another gear on this occasion, putting aside the NBC satire (let's face it, there's enough of that on the late night programs) and opting for plain craziness. And it works beautifully: the Tracy/Jenna and Jack/Kenneth scenes are a masterclass in zany comedy writing and acting, and Tina Fey's interplay with Oprah is proof that having a famous guest star does more than just increase the ratings, it's funny as hell, too (if only all celebrities were this willing to lampoon themselves).

Oh, and as for the show's trademark absurdist flashbacks (like Family Guy, but a little less irreverent), Believe in the Stars contains one of the best: Liz getting out of jury duty thanks to Star Wars. Long live the nerds!