30 ROCK: A ONE-TIME SPECIAL
Various Networks, 9:00 p.m. ET
Actually, it’s not a one-time special, because it premiered last night, and here it is again. Last night, though many, many NBC affiliates boycotted the program, the network presented the premiere of a one-shot 30 Rock special, to which the offended affiliates objected because it included several promotional segments about NBC Universal’s new streaming service, Peacock. Broadcast TV stations see streaming as the enemy, just as they used to perceive cable. But the 30 Rock special was built around a particularly self-promotional conceit: Because the pandemic had caused the cancellation of the in-person Radio City Music Hall gathering of the NBC Universal upfronts, in which new fall TV fare is pitched to potential advertisers, NBC would hold the upfronts via Zoom instead, with the 30 Rock gang taking part, in character. There actually were spots where NBC’s scheduled fall fare was promoted (Ted Danson as Mr. Mayor!), as well as nods to the wider NBC Universal family (Pro wrestling! Reality shows!) – and it was hard to tell the parodies from the actual promos. Except there were no parodies, which was this special’s downfall. Everything written and performed by Tina Fey and company, that was entertaining and clever. Everything shoehorned in as an actual promo, whether for NBC, Syfy, or Peacock? Not so much. But if you missed it last night, or weren’t shown it by your local NBC station, tonight NBC Universal ups the internal squabble by repeating the same 30 Rock special tonight, at the same time, on USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and E!... among other corporate cable networks it owns and operates. Take that, affiliates!