Throng

30 rock
black tie (12/21)

Continuing tonight is the Golden Globe- and Emmy award-winning sitcom following the fortunes of long-suffering TV comedy writer Liz Lemon (Tina Fey). In this episode, Liz sees another side of Jack when they encounter his glamorous ex-wife (guest star Isabella Rossellini) at a swanky party; Jenna’s plans to become the next Grace Kelly go slightly awry; and Kenneth tries to stop Pete from giving in to temptation.

Interrupting Liz while she’s trading ‘yo mama’ jokes with Josh and Frank, Jack informs her that he has been invited to “thesocial event of the season” – the birthday party of an Austrian prince – and would like Liz to go with him. “OK, I’ll do it,” she says eventually. “But I’m not gonna like it!” When Jenna finds out where Liz is going, she wants to come too. Liz tells her that she is only going because Jack asked her to, which immediately makes Jenna think that Liz is going on a date. Liz does not agree, but at the party decides to bite the bullet and ask. “I date socialites, models, actresses, Liz Hurley – in the 90s,” laughs Jack derisively in response. “I think it’s so funny that you thought that!”

To make his point, Jack begins showing Liz all the glamorous women with whom he has been linked, when he suddenly gets a shock: his exwife, Bianca, is here with her new fiancé. “She’s gorgeous,” says Liz admiringly. “And surprisingly age-appropriate!” Mortified that Bianca will see him at a social event without a date, Jack introduces Liz as his “live-in girlfriend”. “She’s much sharper than the last girl you had,” says Bianca, approvingly. “What was her name?” “Beyoncé,” mutters Jack.

Meanwhile, Jenna has also managed to get into the party – “You showed the security guard your boobs, didn’t you?” asks Liz – and is aiming to become the next Grace Kelly by entrancing the Prince and becoming “Queen of Australia”. Unfortunately, she soon realises that the inbred royal (guest star Paul Reubens) is no elegant Prince Rainier, but when the Prince notices Jenna, it’s love at first sight – for him, at least. How will Jenna get herself out of this one?

While Jenna contends with the amorous royal, Jack is having a hard time being in the same room as his ex-wife. He explains that she left him because he could not keep up with her, both socially and in the bedroom, so now he keeps it simple by indulging in meaningless one-night stands with a string of supermodels and actresses. “She just keeps getting better,” he sighs, gazing at Bianca from afar. “Seeing her so happy and normal makes me crazy.”

Surprisingly, Liz soon finds out that Bianca actually still carries a torch for Jack and is upset because she thinks that he is in love with Liz: “I can tell by the way he looks at you that he’s serious.” Liz tries to tell Jack that Bianca is not “happy and normal” because she is not over Jack, but he does not believe her – until Liz makes a risky move to prove it...

Also this week, Tracy overhears Pete getting yelled at by his wife and decides to treat the world-weary producer to an impromptu party at the office. When Kenneth walks in on the boozefuelled mayhem, he tries to remind Pete that he is a married man and should not be consorting with Tracy’s nublile young lady-friends. Will Pete heed his warnings?