30 Rock: “A Goon’s Deed in a Weary World” (Episode 7.11)

30 Rock is the rare TV series that didn’t overstay its welcome on our season-pass managers. It leaves the airwaves next week while it is still, for the most part, on top of its game. That’s a great thing, but that means my expectations for the final episodes are quite high. By those standards, “A Goon’s Deed in a Weary World” was just OK. It didn’t have the impact I was hoping for in the Emmy-winning comedy’s penultimate episode.
Liz and Criss receive news that the eight-year-old twins they are adopting are arriving at JFK Airport on Jan. 29. There’s so much they have to do to prepare—buy clothes, decorate the bedrooms and watch TV. “The DVR’s at 98 percent, but I’m just never in the mood to watch Treme,” Liz laments. It’s moments like this that I think, “Has Tina Fey been in my home?”
Liz needs to fight to keep TGS alive—that means performing a show for the Board of Directors, slashing the budget and finding a corporate sponsor. While she’s running around trying to do all of this, Criss is busy preparing for the twins’ arrival. And no one is doing what they are supposed to do. The writers are playing games instead of writing, and Tracy and Jenna promote a movie that’s not being made instead of TGS. “What would it take for you people to ever step up and help me?” Liz wonders.
In the night’s best gag, Liz finds a corporate sponsor in “Bro Body Douche.” They’re changing the name of the show to The Man Cave and Liz Lemon will be credited as Todd Debeikis. The sight of Liz sitting in a blow-up chair and saying “Jeah!” was fantastic. And a company like Bro Body Douche seems entirely possible.
But then Criss calls Liz from the airport. The twins are arriving earlier than expected. Liz tells him she can’t meet him because she needs to oversee the TGS show for the Kabletown board.