30 Rock (TV Series) Fireworks (2007) User Reviews

Strong, Funny Episode!

[g-bodyl · 9/10 · 16 February 2014]

The eighteenth episode in the first season of 30 Rock is one of the better episodes of the first season. There are some ridiculous, but really funny subplots. The comedic acting has nearly perfect timing thanks to guest appearance by Will Arnett. The jokes are really funny and well-scripted.

This episode, "Fireworks," has Jack in a competition with the younger Devon Banks and once realizing he is gay, he uses Kenneth to find out what he is up to. Meanwhile, Liz follows her Flower Guy into a random AA meeting. Finally, Tracy finds out he is a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson.

Overall, this is one hilarious episode. My favorite scenes are the one involving Tracy and Thomas Jefferson. This and the other subplots are what makes this episode great. I rate this episode 9/10.

Fireworks is another funny episode of 30 Rock

[tavm · 7/10 · 20 April 2007]

After his wife threw him out, Pete is adjusting with living in Liz' apartment. Jack meets a West Coast executive rival (Will Arnet) who has a crush on Kenneth. Jack finds this out and has Kenneth ask him pertinent questions about his sexual orientation. The rival for his job has Kenneth tell him about Jack which gets Jack and rival in a showdown about who will make the better pitch in the next meeting. Tracy gets served a paternity suit Dr. Leo Spaceman (Chris Parnell) investigates which reveals he's a descendant of Thomas Jefferson. The other black employee, Twofer, also finds out his great grandfather fought for the south. They both recover eventually. Liz sees Floyd, the "flower guy", going to church every Tuesday. She comes in and finds he's with Alcoholics Annonymous...I'll stop right there and say this was another hilarious episode with well chosen cameos by Maury Povich and Al Roker and in Tracy's dream, Alec Baldwin made a most funny Thomas Jefferson. I think it was after this episode aired that NBC announced that 30 Rock has been renewed for another season. And that it's now airing after The Office. Hope that translates into more ratings!

Fireworks, Jefferson and Al Roker

[safenoe · 9/10 · 4 June 2021]

I like 30 Rock and it's easy to forget that this debuted alongside NBC's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. The latter was considered the one that would survive, and indeed it got higher ratings. But it was 30 Rock that survived due to lower production costs. The rest is history.

Anyway, wondertul to see Will Arnett guest star in this episode of cut-throat competition within NBC, west coast v east coast. Kenneth the Page also has a more prominent role in this episode which features a cameo by. Al Roker at the end.

The one with Thomas Jefferson and Will Arnett

[MaxBorg89 · 10/10 · 15 October 2008]

Like Arrested Development before it, 30 Rock manages to find ways to stay fresh lesser sitcoms can only dream of. A good example is this episode, Fireworks, which cements the Development comparisons by having Will Arnett, aka Gob Bluth, as a guest star.

Arnett plays Devon Banks, the pioneer of ten-second sitcoms, a sleazy, opportunistic SOB who's after Jack's job. After finding out his competitor is gay and has a crush on Kenneth, Jack decides to use this to his advantage and figure out what Banks is planning, since no one is convinced his major idea (fireworks) will impress Don Geiss. Liz, on the other hand, is startled when she sees Floyd (Jason Sudeikis) go to church, since in her opinion it's weird to do so on a Tuesday. As for Tracy, his world is turned upside down when a DNA test he took for a paternity dispute reveals he's a direct descendant of none other than Thomas Jefferson.

Yes, most (actually, all) of these ideas are silly, but as Seinfeld brilliantly taught, silliness is often the key to clever comedy. And as usual, the witty script is supported by perfectly timed comedic acting: Rip Torn returns as Geiss to great effect, and Arnett, deservedly praised for his shamelessly shallow and moronic Arrested Development character, comes very close to stealing the show, Banks being essentially a more intelligent, but equally malevolent, version of Gob. However, his effort is beaten to the top spot by the most unexpected of cameos: a ghostly appearance by Thomas Jefferson, played with unrelenting, over-the-top glee by... No, I can't reveal that detail. It's just too funny to spoil. Where do they come up with this stuff?

Fireworks (#1.18)

[ComedyFan2010 · 10/10 · 18 November 2013]

Brilliant episode. Eery storyline is perfect and has incredibly hilarious moments and lines.

Will Arnett is a great addition to the cast. He is the guy who wants Jack's job. He is also gay and has a thing for Kenneth. Every moment with him on screen was priceless. Be it the controversies with Jack or flirting with Kenneth.

I like Pete more and more, and he was great in this episodes as well. The clothes moments with Liz were especially great.

Tracy and Toofer find out some disturbing things about their heritage. Tracy is a descendant of Thomas Jefferson and mostly white, while Toofer's grandpa he was proud of actually fought for the South. Very original and I loved the scene where Tracy dreams of Maury and Thomas Jefferson (Alec Baldwin) comes.

Liz pretends to be an alcoholic to get closer to Floyd.Good idea, many great moments, including her list of confessions at the end of the episode.