There’s only five episodes left for 30 Rock, in a final season that’s been more enjoyable than the last couple, in part because we’re cherishing every moment as the end draws near. ‘My Whole Life Is Thunder’ is an episode that consciously feels that ending, with lots of throwbacks to old seasons and jokes – and more importantly, some moments of reflection for Jack, one of the great TV characters of the past decade.
Colleen’s visits have consistently been some of my favorite episodes in many seasons – whether she’s breaking down Liz’s family or giving us a glimpse into why Jack is who he is, her presence always brings out some of the best Jack material on the show. And thankfully, her death isn’t played up with a ton of bravado – though pretty heavily foreshadowed throughout with her constant mentions of her death and how Jack shied away from such conversations. I did think the conclusions he reaches about her presence are a little rushed – but I’m willing to forgive the lack of context for his realizations, simply because we get to see the end result.
Anybody who reads this knows I write a lot about the importance of adults reconciling their relationships with their parents (including a Community piece I wrote last week at Sound on Sight), so seeing Jack finally realize the importance of his mother’s nagging is a moment he’s earned over the last seven seasons, regardless if he gets to coast past the hard emotional moments on-screen (both after her death and during his eulogy, which are mostly glazed over, pausing for a few jokes). It’s also an attitude that prevails through the episode: Kenneth deals with his obsession of TV with the help of Tracey, Jenna gets over her problems with Liz (in one of those “let’s talk it all out in five seconds and be cool because we’re running out of time” scenes) stealing the spotlight recently.
As usual with any 30 Rock, the jokes were either dead-on or didn’t work: Florence Henderson as a alcoholic hooker-type was hilarious, while most of Jenna’s freak outs weren’t. At this point though, we’re conditioned to mostly enjoy the good parts: Colleen’s plan for grave robbers, Liz’s haircuit in the flashback, and a hilarious Rebecca Mader cameo. But what I love about ‘My Whole Life Is Thunder’ – and this final season in general – is how the writers are pushing characters we’ve become so familiar with in new directions, both personally and professionally. Some of these work better than others (I still think Liz’s wedding was a bit unnecessary for her character at this point, but thankful it wasn’t in the finale), but they all signal the end of an era for these characters, as they evolve into the next chapter of their lives beyond TGS.
Grade: B+
Other thoughts/observations:
– kind of odd to have the last holiday episode without the Lemon family making an appearance. It almost felt like the holiday theme only existed to get Colleen into town, and I hope we get a more traditional 30 Rock holiday episode in the next couple weeks.
– gem of a nickname from Tracey for Kenneth: “Hey, K-12!”
– there are only three appropriate painting subjects, according to Jack: horses, ships with sails, and men with swords staring off into the distance.
– Colleen didn’t get many zingers in her last appearance, but her racist line about the Grim Reaper was terrific.
What did you think of ‘My Whole Life Is Thunder?’ Feel free to leave your thoughts on the episode (and the season as a whole) below!
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Did Elaine Stritch play Colleen as always? She did not look like herself.
Yes, it was her – though I do agree with you. I’m just guessing, but I’d imagine her age (she’s 87 years old) might play a factor in that, not to mention her reduced role as compared to previous appearances.