Yesterday, 30 Rock fans were hit with some potentially devastating news about their favorite meta-sitcom – when Alec Baldwin forecasted a 2012 end-date for the show – following the conclusion of season 6.
Now, the star who has garnered plenty of critical claim for his performance as GE-turned-Kabletown executive Jack Donaghy on the show is clarifying his prior statement by saying he’d love to see more seasons of 30 Rock. The update could prove to be bittersweet for fans of the series since, though Baldwin hopes the show will go on, he’s still planning a 2012 departure for Donaghy.
30 Rock could certainly continue without Baldwin, though many fans would undoubtedly argue that the chemistry between Donaghy and Tina Fey’s Liz Lemon is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the comedy – not to mention one of the prime story dynamics.
Baldwin’s updated comments, which were posted as a personal blog entry on Huffington Post, not only clarified that he’d like to see 30 Rock continue – it also offered a few of his own (albeit tongue-in-cheek) post-Donaghy story ideas.
I want to take the opportunity to state that although my days on network TV may be numbered, I hope 30 Rock goes on forever. Or at least as long as everyone involved desires.
Next year hopefully won’t be the last. Kenneth can run the network. Jenna will get her own talk show. Tracy will become Mayor of New York. Then resign to go raise exotic reptiles. And Lemon will go do…. just about anything she sets her mind to.
Here’s to five more seasons.
While Baldwin is certainly joking with his potential story-beats, there’s no doubt that each one doesn’t just fit the respective characters – any of them could also fit within the overarching tone already established at 30 Rock.
The uncertainty around 30 Rock’s 2012 contract dilemma has been compounded by Fey’s recent announcement to US Weekly that she’s pregnant with her second child (cast-mate Jane Krakowski also has a baby on the way).
That said, where many comedies will hide performer pregnancies to avoid the potential story implications (we’re looking at you How I Met Your Mother), in the self-referential world of 30 Rock, there’s no doubt that Fey will probably work her own pregnancy into the ongoing misadventures of Liz Lemon.
Follow us on Twitter @benkendrick and @screenrant and let us if you think 30 Rock should continue without Baldwin.
