30 Rock & Community Critics Review

I am not too familiar with 30 Rock. I watched it when it first came out and I didn’t really like it that much. After watching it again, I can honestly say I do get a few laughs here and there, but I’m still not a very big fan of the show. I absolutely love watching Community. I pretty much laugh from start to finish. The only problem is timing. I don’t know when the show comes on nor do I really want to. When I watch television, I get nothing done, so I avoid following most shows. I just watch whatever is on at the time. So I haven’t seen many episodes of Community, but every one that I have has given me a ton of laughs.

Community Reviews: Robert Blanco: I only partially agree with Robert Blanco’s take on Community. He posted a sort of overview review of the show. In his review he states that it is by far NBC’s best current comedy: I totally agree with that statement. He also said the show tends to be repetitive by showing Jeff trying to improve himself and then starting over each and every episode. I don’t think this is all true. There are some instances where the show is focused on a completely different character at times; sometimes on multiple characters at once.

Daynah Burnett: Burnett claims similar things as Blanco, only she’s a little more focused on the positive. She also believes the story revolves around “accepting self-imperfection” which is very similar to Blanco’s synopsis of the storyline.  Burnett focused her review on the premiere of the show, saying the show was underwhelming, and lacked the fun of the first season. I do think the second season was a little more focused on seriousness then the first one. Not to say it’s not funny or it’s too serious, I just feel it’s a little more mature than season one. Even in her review she states that the shows focus on emotion while maintaining the fan base’s appreciation “… Just might be meta storytelling at its most sophisticated.”

Emma Matthews: I really agree with Emma’s viewpoints. She explained how Community wasn’t quite as slapstick due to the show reaching for a deeper cause and story rather than just shoot for straight comedy. She emphasizes how the little things in the show are just as important as the huge moments in the show. For example, the “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it single tear rolling down Chang’s cheek as he daydreams of joining the group… Hilarious aside adds depth to the already well-drawn characters.”

30 Rock Reviews: Robert Blanco: Just next to his Community review was his review of 30 Rock, so I figured why not? He wasn’t so nice about 30 Rock, stating that it can either be funny or its not. I have a similar viewpoint of the show. I either found the episode hilarious, or stupid. Blanco explains how the show focuses more on the characters entertaining themselves and small cameos to keep the show entertaining. I don’t really agree with this statement but I can see where one would suspect as much. The show does contain an awful lot of cameos. It is understandable, however, considering the show is based on the behind the scenes of major network shows.

Robert Canning: Canning’s review on the show was very positive. He explained “why” there were so many cameos. The reason for all the appearances is because many of the stars wanted to come on the show since it was such a favorite among fans. He praised the humor saying it was very clever, especially when Tina and Alec played off of each other’s comedic styles. I did understand where this critic was coming from but I’ve just never really been a huge fan of the style of comedy this show presents.

John Kubicek: John is very positive about the show. He explains how the actors truly do shine as the characters they play. The comedy each character portrays is perfectly done and truly exclusive to each actor who plays him or her. This changed the way I looked at the show a little bit. I never really looked at each character’s individual distinctness. Each one brings something very different and interesting to the table. Seeing the show from the perspective of what each character contributes really helps me appreciate the show more. This was probably the only review I read that changed the way I looked at the show I was reviewing.