Lorne Michaels Says 30 Rock Will Continue With or Without Alec Baldwin
And So It Begins
Alec Baldwin said a while ago that he’s planning on retiring from acting in 2012. That’s next year, guys. There’s even been a rumor floating around that he’s planning to run for mayor of New York. All of this has been very interesting, but for fans of 30 Rock the operative question throughout all of this has been “What about 30 Rock?”
Well, according to Lorne Michaels, even if Baldwin does decide not to come back after the show’s sixth season, those behind the show are all fully committed to keeping the show going past his departure.
It’s hard to imagine a 30 Rock without Alec Baldwin; the show has been built so solidly around Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin‘s characters, and inf act was originally pitched as surrounding the dynamic between Liz Lemon, Tracy Jordan, and Jack Donaghy; the show soon evolved into a sort of tale of the platonic friendship and mentorship between Liz and Jack. Baldwin’s brought home two Emmys for his role (as well as plenty of additional nominations), for his routinely powerhouse performances in episodes like “Generalissimo” and “Rosemary’s Baby.”
On the possibility of Baldwin’s departure, Michaels said: “I can’t imagine doing the show without Alec, but I couldn’t imagine doing [‘Saturday Night Live’] without Chevy [Chase.]”
It should be noted that Steve Carell left The Office this past season to much critical attention, but it has yet to be seen whether the show itself will rebound from such a decision (let alone its last few rocky seasons). It is, however, still on the air, and its cast is still strong. And while audiences (and certainly critics) may prefer for comedies to retire before their heyday ends, it’s much as Tina Fey notes in her book: When you’re responsible, as most television executive producers are, for the employment and livelihoods of hundreds of people, you’re not as likely to end your run before the network tells you to. So, chances are, 30 Rock will remain on the air for as long as NBC lets it.
As Michaels said, “This is just a great group overall. It’s got a lot of life and vitality and we all want to keep it going.”
It should also be noted that, while Baldwin has no doubt been a central character in the series, Tina Fey remains its centerpiece. Without Jack Donaghy to guide her, it might be interesting to see Liz Lemon forge her path on her own.
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