Tina Fey’s long-running comedy series 30 Rock ended in 2013. Throughout its seven seasons, the NBC comedy saw quirky storylines and a revolving door of A-List guest stars. During its run, 30 Rock was regarded highly, having accumulated a cult following and more than 100 Emmy nominations. This was all thanks to Fey’s writing and the cast of outrageous characters she had created.
Here’s why 30 Rock ultimately ended.
What Was 30 Rock?
30 Rock was loosely based on Fey’s time as head writer at Saturday Night Live. The show followed Liz Lemon as head writer of The Girly Show, which had her best friend Jenna (Jane Krakowski) as the lead. But once network executive Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) came into the picture, he turned her life around by insisting on the hiring of comedy star Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) and rebranding the sketch show as TGS. Over the course of its seven seasons, 30 Rock revolved around the inner workings of TGS and the relationships between the cast and crew.
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30 Rock premiered to solid ratings and was praised for its signature brand of unconventional humor. But that same outlandish humor would eventually turn off some viewers and critics. Some alienating plot lines included Jenna engaging in a fake romance with James Franco, and Liz getting a surgery that temporarily causes her to cry out of her mouth. Despite its off-beat approach to comedy, though, 30 Rock stuck around for quite some time.
Why 30 Rock Ended
Despite the constant threat of cancellation, 30 Rock essentially ended on its own terms. In an interview with Huffington Post, Fey hinted that declining ratings played a part in ending the show. But ultimately, her team was able to make a decision to end 30 Rock. As she explained, “All good things come to an end.” Fey believed her team told good stories and had a lot of fun with the show. But as she began work on the musical adaptation of her 2004 comedy Mean Girls near the end of 30 Rock‘s run, it was simply time to move on to other projects.
When it came to crafting 30 Rock‘s series finale, Fey decided to have art imitate life. After spending years on the bubble, TGS was finally cancelled. Despite its shocking cancellation, the cast and crew of TGS went on to find their own happy endings. Fey’s Liz Lemon happily settled into life as a mother before eventually returning to work. Jack finally landed his dream job as CEO of GE. Tracy and Jenna continued on in their careers. And, in an ode to the show’s long-running joke that Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) was immortal, the show ended with an ageless Kenneth fulfilling his dream of running the network.
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