Review
Who better to make a showcomedy or noabout the backstage goingson with a livesketch comedy showthan Tina Feythe former head writer and anchor for "Saturday Night Live" After pitching the idea a few times to the networkFey finally got her chance here and it is very strong!
Fey is Liz Lemona putuponsinglethirtysomething who heads up the writing and production of "The Girlie Show". It's tottered along just fine to this pointbut when the network's hired mucky muckan arrogant ass whose entertainment experience is almost nil and whose previous departmental supervision dealt with hardware appliances named JAck Donaghy(Alec Baldwinrelishing his ubiquity as comedic ace and character actor everyman)is hired to overlook the show's productionthe pot gets stirred. His first move is to shake up the cast of her show by bringing aboard Tracy Jordan(Tracy Morganwho REDEFINES acting with abandon)a talented comic with alarming tendencies to emotional meltdowns and irrational behavior.
To make life just a little harder for Lizshe has to deal witha sexually insecure blonde starlet with aging problems(Jane Krackowski)who considers Liz a friendan oilyselfish boyfriendwriters who aren't very supportive(Judah FriedlanderScott Adsit among them)and an unnaturally perky network page(Jack McBrayer).
I understand why NBC was more apt to put the PR rush for Aaron Sorkin's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"but this is EASILY the better show between the two of themnot the least of which because Miss Fey's work on SNL and the decision to make this show more than bitingly ironic and preachy(as Studio 60 seems to be)comedic and yet not gimmicky. I'm rooting for this show to succeedand for onceI feel like the network nursing this show is willing to oblige my(and I know I'm not alone feeling this)wishes.