30 rock
hard ball (15/21)

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, Jenna lands herself in hot water with her comments in a magazine interview; Liz upsets Jack’s negotiations over Josh’s new contract; and Tracy recruits Kenneth to be a member of his entourage.

Ditzy actress Jenna has been named number four on Maxim’s list of the sexiest women in comedy, and to mark the occasion, she agrees to a photo shoot and interview for the magazine. Unfortunately, when she is asked for her view on the “troops”, she thinks the question is about “theatre troupes”, and proceeds to shock the interviewer with her candid opinions: “They think what they do is so important but it’s just a bunch of gay guys that like to get in silly costumes and prance around.”

Jenna’s words are splashed across the media and she is demonised for her “un-American” attack on the armed forces. With demonstrators picketing the building and demanding a boycott of NBC, Jack orders Jenna to make a public apology on heavyweight political show, ‘Hard Ball’.

Liz prepares Jenna for her interview by encouraging her to say that the US should redouble its efforts to find Osama bin Laden and that she supports Barack Obama for president. But Jenna gets her wires crossed once again and shocks the nation on live TV. “If the president is so serious about the war on terror, why doesn’t he hunt down Barack Obama before he strikes again?” she says. “It’s time for a change, America, that’s why I’m voting for Osama in 2008.”

While Liz is contending with Jenna’s mishaps, she is called upon by Jack to help negotiate Josh’s new contract for the show. Jack wants to take a tough stance, but Liz is keen to protect her friend’s interests. “He’s not your friend now, he’s your opponent,” Jack reminds her. Liz warns Josh that Jack is gunning for him, but accidentally leaks privileged information in the process. Josh’s agent uses this in negotiations to weaken Jack’s stance – leaving the executive fuming.

When Josh phones in sick, Jack declares it a tactic to pile on the pressure – but Liz jumps to Josh’s defence. “He’s probably just sick because he’s stressed out about his job,” she says. Jack’s response is forthright: “Lemon, what happened in your childhood to make you believe that people are good?” Determined to prove him wrong, Liz takes some soup to Josh on his sick bed – only to see the wayward actor in the canteen, locked in negotiations with a rival show. A furious Liz returns to the negotiating table determined to make Josh suffer for his lie.

Also this week, Tracy offers Kenneth a spot alongside Grizz and Dot Com as part of his entourage. Kenneth is delighted to join the gang but soon makes a fatal error when he fails to laugh at Tracy’s jokes and beats him at computer games. Gradually, dim-witted Tracy realises that his mates have been letting him win all along. “Have you two been treating me like this all this time – like a child?” he says. “I won’t stand for this – entourage disbanded!” Can Kenneth find a way to patch things up between Tracy and his crew?