30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey and produced by Broadway Video and Little Stranger, Inc., in association with NBC Universal, about the goings on behind the camera of the fictional live sketch comedy series, The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan.
The series aired in the USA on NBC from 11 October, 2006 to 31 January, 2013. There are 138 half-hour episodes in seven seasons.
30 Rock premiered in South Africa on M-Net on Tuesday 5 June 2007, at 19h00. It later aired on M-Net Series, SABC3, Vuzu (from Season 5), M-Net Series Showcase (simulcast in HD) from Season 7 and M-Net Series Zone (from Season 6). See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Season 6 premiered on M-Net Series Zone on Wednesday 25 September 2013, at 16h00. Thereafter new episodes broadcast in a double bill daily at 15h30, on weekdays. There are 22 episodes in the sixth season.
Season 1
Tina Fey writes, executive-produces and stars as writer Liz Lemon in 30 Rock, an irreverent workplace comedy set behind-the-scenes of a live variety show.
The show is told through the comedic voice of Fey and features Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy, the brash network executive who turns Liz's show (and life) upside down with his meddling ways.
The single Lemon is living every comedy writer's dream - head writer on a demanding, live TV program in New York City.
Her life is jolted when Donaghy interferes with her show, and bullies Lemon into convincing Tracy Jordan - a wild and unpredictable movie star - to join the cast.
Now Lemon must manage the unmanageable so that the show - and her dream - can go on.
The show's title comes from a nickname for 30 Rockefeller Plaza, also known as the GE Building, which is the headquarters of NBC's New York City studios, including Saturday Night Live's (SNL) Studio 8H.
Typically, the principal plotline in each episode centers on Liz and her attempts to steer the show through one crisis or another while she struggles to maintain a social life.
Liz's love life is particularly unsuccessful and suitable romantic interests have so far proven to be short-lived.
The show's self-awareness of this and other sitcom clichés (at once avoiding and embracing them) has been one of 30 Rock's hallmarks.
30 Rock is executive produced by Lorne Michaels.
Season 2
Season two begins with Liz and the crew of TGS returning from summer hiatus to many problems.
An immediate problem is Jack trying to maintain the success he made during the summer by editing Jerry Seinfeld into all of NBC's programming, with footage from Seinfeld's sitcom Seinfeld.
Plotlines include Jenna Maroney coping with her obesity problem which she developed during the summer while performing on the ficticious Broadway musical Mystic Pizza: The Musical.
Another story arc includes the conservative Jack dating the democratic congresswoman Celeste Cunningham (Edie Falco).
Liz's attempts at recovering from her failed relationship with Floyd are also viewed as well as Tracy trying to deal with his failing marriage to Angie Jordan (Sherri Shepherd).
Season 3
In the Season 3 premiere: a brightly dressed up Liz is strolling to work and is surprised to see Jack pull up on the sidewalk.
He's not at liberty to say how he got out of his position with the government, but the most important part is he's back and determined to get his old job back from Devon.
Liz explains she's all dressed up because the adoption agency is doing a home evaluation with her.
Meanwhile, a feud between Tracy and Jenna wreaks havoc among the TGS staff.
Season 4
In the Season 4 premiere Jack, worried that The Girlie Show has become too elitist, asks Jenna and Tracy to try and connect more with the common people.
In addition, he sends Liz on a search for a new actor to join the TGS cast.
Liz recruits Pete to help her and the pair try to keep their search private but it is ultimately revealed, upsetting the cast and crew.
Meanwhile Kenneth leads an NBC page protest over a bonus cheque that Jack receives.
Season 5
Season 5 continues with Liz in a relationship with Carol (Matt Damon), a man she met in the episode "I Do Do", and Jack practicing to be and then being a father.
Jack finally marries the woman he chose in "I Do Do", but an error in the wedding certificate leads to shocking results.
Jack meets with Kabletown's boss, Hank Hooper (Ken Howard), who acts rather like Kenneth, and meets his competition in his granddaughter, Kaylee Hooper (Chloë Moretz).
Meanwhile, Tracy also becomes a father and finally gets an EGOT (although, the work of art that Tracy could've won in the "E" "G" and "T" part of EGOT is ambiguous). However, the pressure of being an award-winning celebrity leads Tracy to nearly bring TGS to cancellation.
With the help of Jenna, Kenneth tries to get back into the NBC Page Program. Tracy's wife, Angie, is given a reality show of her own, "Queen of Jordan", which is aired as an episode of 30 Rock.
In the middle of the season, Jack and Avery's daughter is born, but a few episodes later, something happens in their relationship that separates them... possibly forever.
Jenna continues her relationship with Paul. And The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan (TGS) celebrates its 100th episode.
Season 6
The story arcs of Season 6 include:
Liz has a new relationship and emotionally matures and Jack continues to attempt to recover his wife from North Korea and find his identity at Kabletown.
Kenneth moves up (and later down,) the corporate ladder and Jenna reaches a new level of fame thanks to being a judge on a reality show, America's Kidz Got Singing.
Later, Jenna also considers settling down with boyfriend Paul.
Season 7
Season 7 continues to develop the relationship between Liz and Criss (James Marsden), as the pair try for children and consider getting married.
Meanwhile, Jack attempts to improve his future prospects at the company, first by trying to "tank" NBC and convince Kabletown CEO Hank Hooper (Ken Howard) to sell it, and later by plotting to discredit his granddaughter and future CEO, Kaylee Hooper (Chloë Grace Moretz).
Ultimately, however, he begins to wonder if he is truly happy.
Elsewhere, Tracy has found success with his new movie studio, which produces comedy films mostly starring African American actors, in similar fashion to Tyler Perry; Jenna prepares to marry her longterm boyfriend Paul (Will Forte), and Kenneth has started a relationship with Hazel (Kristen Schaal), unaware that she is using him to get her moment on TGS.
Seasons
Note: the first four seasons did not air on Vuzu and only the final season aired on M-Net Series Showcase. Season 4 (on M-Net) and Season 7 (on M-Net Series Showcase) were the only seasons to be simulcast in HD.
Season 1 (21 episodes)
Channel: M-Net | Premiere: 5 Jun 2007 | Finale: 23 Oct 2007 | Tue, 19h00
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 8 Mar 2008 | Finale: 26 Jul 2008 | Sat, 21h00
Channel: SABC3 | Premiere: 26 Jan 2009 | Finale: 15 Jun 2009 | Mon, 19h30
Season 2 (15 episodes)
Channel: M-Net | Premiere: 14 Mar 2008 | Finale: 20 Jun 2008 | Fri, 19h00
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 11 Oct 2008 | Finale: 17 Jan 2009 | Sat, 21h00
Channel: SABC3 | Premiere: 1 Sep 2010 | Finale: 8 Dec 2010 | Wed, 19h30
Season 3 (22 episodes)
Channel: M-Net | Premiere: 11 Mar 2009 | Finale: 5 Aug 2009 | Wed, 19h00
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 28 May 2009 | Finale: 22 Oct 2009 | Thu, 20h30
Channel: SABC3 | Premiere: 3 Oct 2011 | Finale: 27 Feb 2012 | Mon, 18h30
Season 4 (22 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 22 Jul 2010 | Finale: 16 Dec 2010 | Thu, 21h30
Channel: M-Net | Premiere: 20 Aug 2010 | Finale: 14 Jan 2011 | Fri, 19h00
Channel: SABC3 | Premiere: 3 May 2012 | Finale: 27 Sep 2012 | Thu, 21h40
Season 5 (23 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 3 Sep 2011 | Finale: 4 Feb 2012 | Sat, 19h00
Channel: Vuzu | Premiere: 28 Jul 2012 | Finale: 13 Oct 2012 | Fri, 22h30 / Sat, 21h00
Channel: SABC3 | Premiere: 2 Apr 2013 | Finale: 3 Sep 2013 | Tue, 20h00
Season 6 (22 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 17 Jul 2012 | Finale: 11 Dec 2012 | Tue, 20h00
Channel: Vuzu | Premiere: 25 Jan 2013 | Finale: 6 Apr 2013 | Fri, 22h30 / Sat, 21h00
Channel: M-Net Series Zone | Premiere: 25 Sep 2013 | Finale: 10 Oct 2013 | Weekdays, 15h30
Season 7 (13 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Series Showcase | Premiere: 15 Jul 2013 | Finale: 7 Oct 2013 | Mon, 19h00