Madeline Diamond
Reporter
On Jan. 31, 30 Rock broke my heart and aired its final episode. However, the hour long special did not disappoint. The episode chronicles the Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) and the rest of the cast’s final episode of TGS. Lemon, who is reluctant to leave her job at NBC to become a stay-at-home mom, struggles with her husband Criss (James Marsden) to adjust to her career transition. Jack (Alec Baldwin), Tracy (Tracy Morgan) and Jenna (Jane Krakowski) also grapple with the ending of their show’s seven year run. Simultaneously, Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) is enjoying in his new position as the president of NBC. Ironically, the ending of TGS, the show-within-a-show, parallels the actual fate of the 30 Rock. Ultimately, the show ends with Lemon’s great granddaughter pitching the idea of 30 Rock to an ageless Kenneth Parcell in the future, Jetsons-esque hovercrafts and all.
Reflecting on the show’s glorious seven season run, I couldn’t help but think of all the valuable life lessons Liz Lemon has taught me. Lemon’s life philosophy, affectionately known as “lizbeanism“, is full of advice that I will use for the rest of my life. Wouldn’t we all be honored to end up like Liz? Just me? This is awkward. Regardless, this is the wisdom that the NBC hit has bestowed upon me:
1. My vocabulary has been permanently altered. Lemon’s jargon is strange, yet endearing, and has certainly changed the way I speak for the better. Words like “blergh” and “lizzing” and exclamations like “nerds!” “what the what?” have infiltrated my otherwise average vernacular. My personal favorite, and possibly Lemon’s most famous one liner, is “I want to go to there.” Inspired by Tina Fey’s daughter Alice, the line is the perfect way to express the inexpressible. How did I go about my everyday life without these unique phrases?
2. Liz Lemon gives the best relationship advice. Forget Cosmo, Liz Lemon has all the advice a lovesick girl (or guy) could need. Lemon teaches us how to recognize a “deal breaker” in a relationship, a skill necessary in today’s dating world. Her almost talkshow called Deal Breakers could have and should have been a real hit. I would have watched it religiously. She even teaches viewers how to react to being hit on. Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to ask for mozzarella sticks when a guy wants to buy you a drink. Some more words of wisdom: there is absolutely no need to use the word “lover.” “That word bums me out unless it’s between the words ‘meat’ and ‘pizza.’” I’m with Lemon on that one.
In a recent interview, Tina Fey responded to the viewer question “did you go to there?” Fey answered wistfully, fondly, “I think we did.” A single tear falls down my cheek. Now you’re asking, what do you do now that 30 Rock is over? Re-watch all the seasons on Netflix. Read Tina Fey’s book, aptly titled “Bossypants”. Wait for the 30 Rock-themed Ben and Jerry’s flavor to be released. Yes, that’s going to be a thing. Most of all, bask in the wisdom you have gained from Liz Lemon, Jack Donaghy, and the rest of the quirky TGS crew.
