Along with
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,
30 Rock was one of two NBC series of the 2006-2007 TV season to take place backstage at a
Saturday Night Live-style comedy show. In the case of
30 Rock, "SNL" veteran
Tina Fey served as series creator and executive producer, and also assumed the leading role of Liz Lemon, head writer of the ficitional comedy-ensemble series "The Girlie Show." Liz was placed in the none-too-skilled hands of novice network executive Jack Donaghy (
Alec Baldwin), whose previous experience had been confined to the offices of the network's corporate owners (clearly General Electric). At Jack's behest, the long-suffering Liz was compelled to hire irresponsible and highly temperamental movie comedian Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan). Jordan's intrusion upon the "Girlie Show" set did not rest well with lead comedian Jenna Maroney (
Jane Krakowski), and thus Liz ended up being less a writer and more a referee. A
30 Rock debuted October 11, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide