Liz the negotiator
The relationship between Jack and Liz has been at the very core of the show with Jack serving as a business mentor to Liz, and Liz keeping Jack in touch with his humanity. Plus it led to all kinds of excellent comedy, with one of our favorites coming in “Episode 210,” when Liz is forced to negotiate the purchase of a German TV company, with her high school language skills, when Jack is indisposed elsewhere. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t work out that well, but it’s a classic “30 Rock” gag, setting up one joke, then immediately giving it another twist.
Dr. Spaceman
One of the most beloved recurring incidental characters on the show was Dr. Leo Spaceman (pronounced Spech-em-men by everyone except Tracy), the quack doctor who’s given his medically dubious advice to most of the TGS cast and crew over the years, played by another SNL veteran, Chris Parnell. Virtually every time he’s appeared, he’s come up with a classic, but his finest moment might be his diagnosis of Tracy below.
Liz’s early acting role
A contender for the finest episode the show ever did was season three’s “Apollo Apollo,” which sees Liz trying to convince Tracy that he’s going into space, while Jack tries to regain the pure happiness that made him throw up at a childhood party. The episode culminates when Jenna, taking revenge on Liz, shows the staff an early acting appearance by the show’s head writer. Saying any more would be ruining the fun.
Liz’s talk show
One of the series’ finest episodes comes in the otherwise patchy season four, in “Dealbreakers Talk Show,” where Liz gets a pilot based on a TGS talk show skit. The filming of the opening credits (seen below) not only showcases Tina Fey‘s always-excellent physical comedy skills (we tried desperately to find video of her eating a footlong subway sandwich in an airport, but no dice), but also an inventive gag involving an HD camera that keeps on giving.
