Everything Sunny All the Time Always
Encyclopedia
"Everything Sunny All the Time Always" is the twenty-first episode of the fifth season
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
, and the 102nd overall episode of the series. It was written by Producer Kay Cannon
& Co-Executive Producer Matt Hubbard
and directed by John Riggi
. Guest stars include Condoleezza Rice
, Margaret Cho
, Elizabeth Banks
, Adriane Lenox
, and Thomas Roberts
.
In the episode, Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) is shocked to discover that his wife, Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks
) has been detained in North Korea
by Kim Jong-il
(Margaret Cho
) to be used in one of his propagandas as Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) rearranges her personal life and comes upon an obstacle. Meanwhile, Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) finally returns to TGS With Tracy Jordan after being absent for a long a time only to discover that his fellow entourage members, Dotcom and Grizz, have bonded with NBC page
Kenneth Parcell
(Jack McBrayer
) in his absence.
cleaning out her apartment after Tracy Jordan was discovered living there in the previous episode. She comes to the conclusion that she has to take control of her personal life just like she does with TGS. She discusses this with Jack who rewards her with a necktie
, seeing it as a positive step in their mentoring relationship. Liz's hopes are confounded by a plastic bag that takes residence in a tree opposite her apartment.
Meanwhile, Jack feels in control of his own life by caring for his daughter in Avery's absence. Avery is filming in Asia as part of the NBC
"hot blondes in weird places initiative." When she calls him expecting Ronald Reagan
themed phone sex
and thereby traumatizes their daughter, Jack encourages her to stay abroad and continue filming. Events take a turn for the worse when Avery is kidnapped
by the North Korean Government and "re-educated" while filming pro-Kim Jong-Il
propaganda. Jack turns to his ex-girlfriend, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
, with whom he broke up via text message ("me + you = :(") for help but to no avail as Avery is forced into marrying Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Il's son.
Tracy returns to work at TGS but is shocked to discover his entourage have developed their own private jokes in his absence. After forcing Grizz, Dot Com and Kenneth to recreate the events that lead to one of their private jokes, the entourage admit that life wasn't as good without Tracy. The episode tag portrays Tracy in a propoganda film with Kim Jong Il.
is a poem by William Ernest Henley
. The scene, in which Jack cites it to Liz, who decided to change her life, is a loose parody of similar scene in The Cosby Show
(You Only Hurt the One You Love; season 3, episode 18). In it, Dr. Huxtable is having a conversation with Mrs. Granger, friendly cleaning staff lady, about her life, and she decides to improve it and quotes the last two verses of the poem. In one scene, Grizz begins a movie review of the Sofia Coppola
movie Somewhere
by stating "You would never think a movie called Somewhere would go absolutely nowhere," echoing many critics. The episode tag is a parody of the film Glengarry Glen Ross
, in which Kim Jong Il (played by Cho) plays the role of Blake. Blake was played by Alec Baldwin in the original film.
30 Rock (season 5)
The fifth season of 30 Rock, an American television comedy series on the NBC network in the United States, began airing on September 23, 2010. NBC announced on March 5, 2010 that 30 Rock would be returning for a fifth season in the 2010–2011 television season...
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
, and the 102nd overall episode of the series. It was written by Producer Kay Cannon
Kay Cannon
Kay Cannon is an American television writer and actress who is best known for her work as an Emmy nominated writer and producer for the NBC series 30 Rock.-Biography:...
& Co-Executive Producer Matt Hubbard
Matt Hubbard
Matt Hubbard is an American television writer and screenwriter who has worked on many television shows. He graduated from Beverly High School, in Beverly, Massachusetts in the class of 1996, where he excelled in the English Department. He later went on to attend Harvard University where he was an...
and directed by John Riggi
John Riggi
John Riggi is an American television writer, producer, director, and actor who has worked on various television shows.He has worked as a writer on the NBC comedy series 30 Rock...
. Guest stars include Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
, Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho is an American comedian, fashion designer, actress, author, and recording artist. Cho is best known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially those pertaining to race and sexuality. She has also directed and appeared in music...
, Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell , known professionally as Elizabeth Banks, is an American actress. Banks had her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy...
, Adriane Lenox
Adriane Lenox
Adriane Lenox is an American stage and film actress whose performance in the play Doubt: A Parable garnered her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2005. She also appeared as Hattie in the Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate and had a role in the 2009 film The Blind Side, as Denise...
, and Thomas Roberts
Thomas Roberts (news anchor)
Thomas Roberts is an American journalist who, since April 2010, has served as a news anchor for MSNBC, a cable-news channel.-Early life and education:...
.
In the episode, Jack Donaghy
Jack Donaghy
John Francis "Jack" Donaghy is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He is the Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming for General Electric and later Kabletown....
(Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
) is shocked to discover that his wife, Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell , known professionally as Elizabeth Banks, is an American actress. Banks had her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy...
) has been detained in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
by Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
(Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho is an American comedian, fashion designer, actress, author, and recording artist. Cho is best known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially those pertaining to race and sexuality. She has also directed and appeared in music...
) to be used in one of his propagandas as Liz Lemon
Liz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis "Liz" Lemon is the main character of the American television series 30 Rock. She is portrayed by Tina Fey, who is also the creator of the series and its showrunner.-Personal history:...
(Tina Fey
Tina Fey
Elizabeth Stamatina "Tina" Fey is an American actress, comedian, writer and producer, known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live , the NBC comedy series 30 Rock, and films such as Mean Girls and Baby Mama .Fey first broke into comedy as a featured player in the...
) rearranges her personal life and comes upon an obstacle. Meanwhile, Tracy Jordan
Tracy Jordan
Ogbert Jordan, better known by his stage name, Tracy, is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, based on and played by Tracy Morgan.-Brief overview:...
(Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan
Tracy Morgan is an American comedian who is best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and currently known for playing the role of Tracy Jordan on the NBC series 30 Rock.-Early life:...
) finally returns to TGS With Tracy Jordan after being absent for a long a time only to discover that his fellow entourage members, Dotcom and Grizz, have bonded with NBC page
NBC page
An NBC page is a person usually in his or her early twenties working in various departments of the NBC television network during a one-year period as a training ground for careers in television broadcasting and entertainment...
Kenneth Parcell
Kenneth Parcell
Kenneth Ellen Parcell is a fictional character in the comedy television series 30 Rock. He is portrayed by actor Jack McBrayer and first appeared on television in the 30 Rock episode "Pilot" on October 10, 2006...
(Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"...
) in his absence.
Plot
The episode begins with Liz LemonLiz Lemon
Elizabeth Miervaldis "Liz" Lemon is the main character of the American television series 30 Rock. She is portrayed by Tina Fey, who is also the creator of the series and its showrunner.-Personal history:...
cleaning out her apartment after Tracy Jordan was discovered living there in the previous episode. She comes to the conclusion that she has to take control of her personal life just like she does with TGS. She discusses this with Jack who rewards her with a necktie
Necktie
A necktie is a long piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. Variants include the ascot tie, bow tie, bolo tie, and the clip-on tie. The modern necktie, ascot, and bow tie are descended from the cravat. Neck...
, seeing it as a positive step in their mentoring relationship. Liz's hopes are confounded by a plastic bag that takes residence in a tree opposite her apartment.
Meanwhile, Jack feels in control of his own life by caring for his daughter in Avery's absence. Avery is filming in Asia as part of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
"hot blondes in weird places initiative." When she calls him expecting Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
themed phone sex
Phone sex
Phone sex is a type of virtual sex that refers to sexually explicit conversation between or other persons via telephone, especially when at least one of the participants masturbates or engages in sexual fantasy...
and thereby traumatizes their daughter, Jack encourages her to stay abroad and continue filming. Events take a turn for the worse when Avery is kidnapped
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
by the North Korean Government and "re-educated" while filming pro-Kim Jong-Il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
propaganda. Jack turns to his ex-girlfriend, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
, with whom he broke up via text message ("me + you = :(") for help but to no avail as Avery is forced into marrying Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Il's son.
Tracy returns to work at TGS but is shocked to discover his entourage have developed their own private jokes in his absence. After forcing Grizz, Dot Com and Kenneth to recreate the events that lead to one of their private jokes, the entourage admit that life wasn't as good without Tracy. The episode tag portrays Tracy in a propoganda film with Kim Jong Il.
Cultural references
InvictusInvictus
"Invictus" is a short Victorian poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley .- Background :At the age of 12, Henley contracted tuberculosis of the bone. A few years later, the disease progressed to his foot, and physicians announced that the only way to save his life was to amputate directly...
is a poem by William Ernest Henley
William Ernest Henley
William Ernest Henley was an English poet, critic and editor, best remembered for his 1875 poem "Invictus".-Life and career:...
. The scene, in which Jack cites it to Liz, who decided to change her life, is a loose parody of similar scene in The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
(You Only Hurt the One You Love; season 3, episode 18). In it, Dr. Huxtable is having a conversation with Mrs. Granger, friendly cleaning staff lady, about her life, and she decides to improve it and quotes the last two verses of the poem. In one scene, Grizz begins a movie review of the Sofia Coppola
Sofia Coppola
Sofia Carmina Coppola is an American screenwriter, film director, actress, and producer.In 2003 she received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Lost in Translation, and became the third woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Directing...
movie Somewhere
Somewhere (film)
Somewhere is a 2010 American drama film that was written and directed by Sofia Coppola. The film follows Johnny Marco, a newly famous actor, as he recuperates from a minor injury at the Chateau Marmont, a well-known Hollywood retreat. Despite money, fame and professional success, Marco is trapped...
by stating "You would never think a movie called Somewhere would go absolutely nowhere," echoing many critics. The episode tag is a parody of the film Glengarry Glen Ross
Glengarry Glen Ross (film)
Glengarry Glen Ross is a 1992 American drama film, adapted by David Mamet from his acclaimed 1984 Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning play of the same name...
, in which Kim Jong Il (played by Cho) plays the role of Blake. Blake was played by Alec Baldwin in the original film.