30 rock
the fighting irish (17/21);
fireworks (18/21)

Continuing tonight is the Golden Globe- and Emmy award-winning sitcom set behind the scenes of a late night comedy sketch show. In the first episode of tonight’s double bill, Liz resorts to underhand measures to get the man she wants; while Jack’s brother Eddie (guest star Nathan Lane, ‘The Birdcage’) appears with some bad news. The second episode sees Liz’s crush intensify; while Jack uses Kenneth as ‘gay bait’ to ruin a rival (guest star Will Arnett, ‘Arrested Development’, ‘Blades of Glory’).

After summoning her to his office, ostensibly to watch a hilarious internet video of a baby panda sneezing, Jack throws Liz a curveball by informing her that she has to fire ten per cent of her staff. “We have to synergise backward overflow,” he explains, ignoring her protests. With 140 people working on the show, her job is now to “go out there and make 126 of them very happy.”

While Liz anguishes over who to fire, Jack gets an unpleasant surprise when his no-good, estranged brother Eddie (Nathan Lane) turns up with some bad news. Apparently, their father has died and Eddie has spent all his money on hospital fees. The two make up, along with the rest of their hard-drinking, hard-fighting siblings (including ‘Saturday Night Live’ regulars Molly Shannon and Siobhan Fallon) who have come to the office for a reunion. Eddie says that all he wants from his highflying brother is a donation to the Chicago All Saints Hospital, which cared for their dad at the end. With the threat of unemployment hanging over their heads, the rest of the workers are also eager to donate to this good cause –but is Eddie really as altruistic as he seems?

Also in this episode, Tracy attempts to find religion after realising that juries are suspicious of stars who do so afterthey get into trouble; and Liz’s crush on a charming man who works in the building causes her to behave very badly – at one point she even considers firing the man’s girlfriend (Anna Chlumsky, ‘My Girl’). “You’re a better person than this,” insists Pete when Liz tells him what she is up to – but can Liz resist the temptation to prove him wrong?

Tonight’s second episode sees Jack recruiting Kenneth to bring down his Californian rival, Devon Banks (Will Arnett). “Banks is no slouch,” Jack explains to Liz. “He pioneered the concept of tensecond internet sitcoms.” Jack is convinced that Banks is out to ruin him, so when he finds out that his nemesis is gay, he decides to use Kenneth as ‘gay bait’ to distract Banks from coming to an important pitch meeting. “Just like Sydney Bristow in ‘Alias’, I will use my sexuality as a weapon!” says Kenneth, cheerfully. “To the wig shop!” Will Jack’s dastardly plot work?

Elsewhere in this concluding part of tonight’s double bill, Liz’s obsession with her latest crush takes an unfortunate turn when she follows him into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and decides to stay. “It was like eavesdropping on somebody else’s therapy,” she tells a mortified Pete. “It was great!” “Yeah,” replies Pete gently. “That’s not OK.” Meanwhile, Tracy is surprised when he discovers that he is a direct descendent of Thomas Jefferson; and Jack’s explosive idea for an NBC special proves to be slightly misguided.