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Entering its sixth hilarious season,

Tina Fey

Unlike today's cruder and less clever comedies, such as Whitney and Two and a Half Men, 30 Rock resists cheap humor and replaces it with quick wit, often making fun of the shameful ploys of other so-called "comedy" programs. Even now, at the beginning of its sixth season, the show has managed to remain popular among critics and viewers alike.

While some other programs share 30 Rock's knack for sharp banter, no other show seems to quite measure up. 30 Rock is arguably the best-written show on television since Arrested Development, and it continues to set a standard for itself which far surpasses similar shows.

Alec Baldwin heads the show's male cast as Jack Donaghy, a savvy executive who oversees operations at NBC. As the head writer of TGS, a parody of Saturday Night Live, co-star Tina Fey's Liz Lemon is often in desperate need of Donaghy's sage advice. Lemon suffers from a number of quirky and often unhealthy habits, as well as an inability to find that "special someone." 30 Rock follows these two dynamic figures as they struggle through the daily toils of the television industry, satirizing the world in which 30 Rock exists.

TGS is the ultimate caricature of coarse late-night comedy shows, while 30 Rock creators use Baldwin's character to lampoon power-hungry execs.

The sixth season's opening episodes have been a pleasant continuation of seasons past, supplying the show's trademark antics between TGS members and its hilarious interactions between mentor Jack and mentee Liz. One of the recent episodes pokes fun at the latest holiday-themed movie trend. The episode opens with a trailer for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, featuring TGS cast member Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski). The fake film's tagline, "Got MLK?" epitomizes the show's particular brand of comedy. 30 Rock is the perfect balance between fresh repartee and long-running jokes, one of my personal favorites being NBC-page Kenneth's (Jack McBrayer) apparent immortality.

This latest slew of 30 Rock episodes has already been recognized, rightfully, amid the chaos of the awards season. As a reflection of the show's adept casting, both Fey and Baldwin were nominated for well-deserved Golden Globes last month, although the night unfortunately ended in defeat for both actors. The SAG Awards also recognized 30 Rock with three significant nominations. And while the SAG Award eluded Tina Fey and the ensemble as a whole, Baldwin snagged Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy series for the fifth time in a row.

A successful award season reflects viewers' satisfaction with the comedy, and it seems unlikely that audiences will be disappointed by what is to come. 30 Rock has stood the test of time, and as the rumors of Baldwin's departure from the show die off, we can only hope for many more great seasons to come. For now, however, viewers should be satisfied with the comedic twists and turns which season six offers.

 

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