Grandmentor

"Grandmentor" is the thirteenth episode of the sixth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 116th overall episode of the series. It was directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller, and written by Sam Means. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) network in the United States on March 22, 2012.

"Grandmentor"
30 Rock episode
Episode no.Season 6
Episode 13
Directed byBeth McCarthy-Miller
Written bySam Means
Featured musicJeff Richmond
Production code613
Original air dateMarch 22, 2012
Guest appearance(s)

Kristen Schaal as Hazel Wassername
Matt Lauer as himself

In the episode, Jack (Alec Baldwin) decides to create a TV-movie about Avery to keep her in the media spotlight. Liz (Tina Fey) agrees to write the script, and Jenna (Jane Krakowski) campaigns to star in it. Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) objects to new page Hazel's (Kristen Schaal) permissiveness with Tracy (Tracy Morgan), prompting Hazel to choose Liz as a mentor.

Plot

Jack (Alec Baldwin) goes on The Today Show to keep his wife's plight in the public eye. When his appearance is bumped for breaking news, Jenna (Jane Krakowski) suggests filming a TV movie about the kidnapping. Jack agrees and begins to cast it, angering Jenna. He recruits Liz (Tina Fey) to write the script, and finally agrees that Jenna can capture Avery's "essence" when she ruthlessly pursues the role with no regard for Jack's feelings.

Meanwhile, Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) is appalled that new page Hazel (Kristen Schaal) allows Tracy to do many things damaging to this health and his behavior, but Hazel refuses him access to the actor. Hazel seeks out Liz's advice and asks to be her mentee. Liz sees the problem through a feminist lens and tells Hazel to stand up to Kenneth. She also tells Hazel to dump her boyfriend, advice that she ignores. Jack coaches Liz on mentoring, telling her that one has to let the mentee fail occasionally. Kenneth quits his job so that he can win the contest for a non-speaking role on TGS, a contest for which Liz had procrastinated picking a winner. Liz selects him as a safe pick, but he uses the opportunity to confess his devotion to Tracy and give him the medicine he needs. The show is ruined, but Hazel shows up to admit that Liz's advice was right; she, Liz, and Jack (as the "Grandmentor") share a group hug.

Reception

This episode attracted 3.31 million viewers.[1]

Andy Greenwald of Grantland thought the episode was "a riotous Roman orgy of hilarity" that eventually became exhausting: "A nonstop barrage of jokes, even amazing jokes, can eventually feel like being sat on by Hazel two years ago." [2]

David Sims of The Onion A.V. Club grew weary of the Hazel storyline, thinking that she might have made the show more relatable, but has become as insane as all the other characters. He speculated that Kenneth would eventually end up as a page again. "I’d be more disappointed if the show had been doing good work with Kenneth as a junior executive, but really, the excuses to shoehorn him into plots were getting more and more tiresome, so it’s probably best to just have him back as a page." He gave this episode and "Kidnapped by Danger" a combined grade of B-.[3]

References
  1. Seidman, Robert (March 23, 2012). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'American Idol,' 'Touch,' '30 Rock,' 'Up All Night' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  2. "NBC Comedy Recap: Community Returns to Its Casual-Viewer-Alienating Wheelhouse".
  3. "The Onion A.V. Club".
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