30 Rock is a sitcom created by Tina Fey that aired on NBC from 2006 to 2013. The series is based on Fey’s experiences as a head writer for Saturday Night Live: Fey plays Liz Lemon, the head writer for a nighttime comedy sketch show called TGS with Tracy Jordan. 30 Rock, which takes its name from the address of the infamous Rockefeller Plaza where NBC Studios is housed, was very well received during its time on-air, winning multiple prestigious awards across various categories.
From 30 Rock's ensemble cast to its celebrity guest stars and appearances, the show was an iconic presence on television, poking fun at the industry in a multitude of ways. Within its meta-commentary, there existed a slew of in-universe movies and TV shows that provided hilarity for the way in which they parodied different aspects of the industry. Here are the best fake movies and TV shows in 30 Rock history.
7 Homonym
Homonym is a game show that asks contestants to guess a correct word, however, the contestants guess the incorrect homophone every time. The game show appears in season 7, episode 1 of 30 Rock, and is involved in a plot where Liz discovers that Jack is purposefully green lighting terrible shows so that NBC will tank. The episode is very funny, however, Homonym makes only the briefest of appearances.
6 God Cop
God Cop is another show that is green lit by Jack in an attempt to take down NBC. This time, he stars in the show himself as a cop who happens to be God. The show is effectively cheesy and silly, and certainly achieves Jack's goal of attracting negative attention to the network in the hopes of making ratings plummet.
5 MILF Island
MILF Island is one of the most ridiculous shows that we see in 30 Rock's universe fairly early on. The show is created by Jack, with the plot focusing on mothers and young boys trapped on an island. The show is problematic, and likely wouldn't be a gag used in sitcoms today, but, back then, resulted in some hilarious jokes for the way it parodies the over-the-top and out-of-touch MTV shows that were particularly prominent during the 2000s, while also paralleling Survivor.
4 Dealbreakers
Dealbreakers appears in Episode 4 of 30 Rock season 7, showcasing Liz in her own talk show, where she shares her wisdom in the form of relationship advice and other general topics. The show fails when Jenna Maroney is brought out, however, was a good idea. It’s a shame we did not get to see much more of it.
3 Sports Shouting
Sports Shouting is featured in episode 5 of 30 Rock season 4. It serves as a parody of typical sports commentary shows, where hosts simply shout over each other while trying to express their views on sports games, leaving audiences wondering what exactly is being said underneath the noise. The show is reminiscent of ESPN’s Around the Horn and parodies the over-the-top and heated conversations that can happen on it.
2 Queen of Jordan
Queen of Jordan is introduced in episode 17 of 30 Rock season 5, and involves Tracy Jordan’s wife Angie. The fake reality TV show was created around Angie trying to get Tracy to return from Africa. In reality, actor Tracy Morgan went on hiatus as a result of a kidney transplant, which left the 30 Rock team in need of something to fill in the gaps. Queen of Jordan proved to be a suitable replacement, providing some of the best comedy in the show's history, as it parodied the Real Housewives franchise. CBR even reported how a real-life spinoff of Queen of Jordan should have been created.
1 The Rural Juror
Perhaps the most iconic fake movie in 30 Rock history is Jenna's indie movie The Rural Juror. First appearing in season 1, episode 10, the inability to understand the film's title because of Jenna's muddled pronunciation becomes the running gag of this fake movie. In-universe, The Rural Juror is based on a Kevin Grisham novel and revolves around a Southern-born lawyer named Constance Justice. Liz does not like the film and struggles to tell Jenna. The Rural Juror effectively set the tone for all the fake movies and TV shows that followed.