Sandwich Day
Encyclopedia
"Sandwich Day" is the fourteenth episode of the second season
of 30 Rock
and the thirty-fifth episode overall. It was written by one of the season's executive producers, Robert Carlock
, and one of the season's co-executive producers, Jack Burditt
. The episode was directed by one of the season's producers, Don Scardino
. The episode first aired on May 1, 2008 on the NBC
network in the United States. Guest stars in this episode included Bill Cwikowski, Brian Dennehy
, Marceline Hugot, Johnnie May, Jason Sudeikis
, Miriam Tolan and Rip Torn
. The episode earned Tina Fey
an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
.
Unusually this episode begins on the 30 Rock title sequence - there is no cold open
as is normally the case.
This episode begins on the annual TGS with Tracy Jordan (a fictional sketch comedy
series) Sandwich Day. Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) receives a phone call from her ex-boyfriend, Floyd (Jason Sudeikis), asking for a place to stay; Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
), Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
) and the TGS writers try to get a new sandwich for Liz; Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) reconsiders his future at General Electric
.
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It is the annual Sandwich Day for the crew of TGS. The Teamsters, led by Mickey J. (Brian Dennehy
), bring in "secret" sandwiches from an unknown Italian delicatessen in Brooklyn
. When the writers eat Liz's sandwich, Liz threatens that she will "cut [their] faces up so bad [...] [they'll] all have chins." As a result, the writers and Tracy, aided by Jenna, enter a drinking contest against the Teamsters in an attempt to get Liz a new sandwich.
Floyd, who broke up with Liz in the episode "Hiatus
," calls Liz to ask if he can have a place to stay, as he has come to visit New York
on business. Liz tries to win Floyd back, only for him to lie to her about going home to Cleveland, Ohio
. Floyd eventually travels home, and the pair agree to remain friends.
Meanwhile, after being ousted from his office on the 52nd floor by Devon Banks (Will Arnett
), Jack is not taking well to his new job on the 12th floor. He later decides to move to Washington, D.C.
, to be the new "Homeland Security
Director for Crisis and Weather Management."
Jason Sudeikis
, who played Floyd in this episode, has appeared in the main cast of Saturday Night Live
, a weekly sketch comedy
series which airs on NBC
in the United States. Tina Fey was the head writer
on Saturday Night Live from 1999 until 2006. Various other cast members of Saturday Night Live have appeared on 30 Rock, including Rachel Dratch, Fred Armisen
, Kristen Wiig
, Will Forte
, Chris Parnell
and Molly Shannon
Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan have both been part of the main cast of Saturday Night Live. Alec Baldwin has also hosted Saturday Night Live fourteen times, the second highest number of episodes of any host of the series. This was actress Johnnie May's second appearance in 30 Rock. She previously appeared in the episode "Tracy Does Conan
" as a nurse who takes Liz's blood for donation. In this episode she plays a screener who would not allow Liz past airport security because she had her Sandwich Day sandwich with her, and its dipping sauce container held "more than 3 ounces."
Robert Canning of IGN
wrote that this episode "turned out to be an absolute winner". He concluded that "with its more relatable storylines and moments like the eerie-voiced guy at the hospital, Liz tipping tables for her mac and cheese, and watching an entire sandwich be eaten in real time in the airport security line, 'Sandwich Day' was a definite highlight in the post-writers' strike season." Erin Fox of TV Guide
said that "the minor story of the episode was probably the funniest". Jeff Labrecque of Entertainment Weekly
thought that this episode "was nothing more than...eh". He called this episode a "weak link".
30 Rock (season 2)
The second season of 30 Rock, an American television comedy series, originally aired between October 4, 2007 and May 8, 2008 on NBC in the United States. 30 Rock takes place behind the scenes of a fictional live sketch comedy series depicted as airing on NBC; the name refers to 30 Rockefeller...
of 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 thirty-fifth episode overall. It was written by one of the season's executive producers, Robert Carlock
Robert Carlock
Robert Carlock is an American television producer and screenwriter most widely known for his work as a writer for several NBC television comedies, particularly his work with Tina Fey as show runners for 30 Rock.-Early years:...
, and one of the season's co-executive producers, Jack Burditt
Jack Burditt
Jack Burditt is an American producer and screenwriter who has worked on many television shows.He has worked as a writer on the NBC comedy series 30 Rock...
. The episode was directed by one of the season's producers, Don Scardino
Don Scardino
Don Scardino is an American television director and producer and a former actor.-Acting:Born in New York City, Scardino began his career as an actor. His first Broadway credit was as an understudy in The Playroom in 1965. Additional Broadway acting credits include Johnny No-Trump, Godspell, and...
. The episode first aired on May 1, 2008 on 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...
network in the United States. Guest stars in this episode included Bill Cwikowski, Brian Dennehy
Brian Dennehy
Brian Mannion Dennehy is an American actor of film, stage and screen.-Early years:Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was...
, Marceline Hugot, Johnnie May, Jason Sudeikis
Jason Sudeikis
Daniel Jason Sudeikis is an American actor and comedian currently starring as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Kathryn , a travel agent who was president of the American Society of Travel Agents, and Dan...
, Miriam Tolan and Rip Torn
Rip Torn
Elmore Rual "Rip" Torn, Jr. , is an American actor of stage, screen and television.Torn received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film Cross Creek. His work includes the role of Artie, the producer, on The Larry Sanders Show, for which he was nominated...
. The episode earned 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...
an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series
This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. The award was first presented in 1953, but was not awarded again until 1959...
.
Unusually this episode begins on the 30 Rock title sequence - there is no cold open
Cold open
A cold open in a television program or movie is the technique of jumping directly into a story at the beginning or opening of the show, before the title sequence or opening credits are shown...
as is normally the case.
This episode begins on the annual TGS with Tracy Jordan (a fictional sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
series) Sandwich Day. 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...
) receives a phone call from her ex-boyfriend, Floyd (Jason Sudeikis), asking for a place to stay; 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:...
), Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, played by Jane Krakowski.-Fictional biography:Jenna was born Ystrepa Grokovitz on February 24, 1969 and grew up in Bakersfield...
(Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
) and the TGS writers try to get a new sandwich for Liz; 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...
) reconsiders his future at General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
.
Plot
Brian Dennehy
Brian Mannion Dennehy is an American actor of film, stage and screen.-Early years:Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was...
), bring in "secret" sandwiches from an unknown Italian delicatessen in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. When the writers eat Liz's sandwich, Liz threatens that she will "cut [their] faces up so bad [...] [they'll] all have chins." As a result, the writers and Tracy, aided by Jenna, enter a drinking contest against the Teamsters in an attempt to get Liz a new sandwich.
Floyd, who broke up with Liz in the episode "Hiatus
Hiatus (30 Rock)
"Hiatus" is the twenty-first and season finale episode of NBC's first season of 30 Rock. It was written by series creator and executive producer Tina Fey, and was directed by Don Scardino. It first aired on April 26, 2007 in the United States...
," calls Liz to ask if he can have a place to stay, as he has come to visit New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on business. Liz tries to win Floyd back, only for him to lie to her about going home to Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Floyd eventually travels home, and the pair agree to remain friends.
Meanwhile, after being ousted from his office on the 52nd floor by Devon Banks (Will Arnett
Will Arnett
William Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
), Jack is not taking well to his new job on the 12th floor. He later decides to move to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, to be the new "Homeland Security
Homeland security
Homeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
Director for Crisis and Weather Management."
Production
This episode was primarily filmed on April 1, 2008. This episode was the fourth episode written by Jack Burditt and the seventh written by Robert Carlock. The episode was the twelfth episode which was directed by Don Scardino.Jason Sudeikis
Jason Sudeikis
Daniel Jason Sudeikis is an American actor and comedian currently starring as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Sudeikis was born Daniel Jason Sudeikis in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Kathryn , a travel agent who was president of the American Society of Travel Agents, and Dan...
, who played Floyd in this episode, has appeared in the main cast of Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, a weekly sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
series which airs on 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...
in the United States. Tina Fey was the head writer
Head writer
A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera genre, as well as with sketch comedies and talk shows that feature monologues and comedy skits, but in prime time series this function is generally performed by an...
on Saturday Night Live from 1999 until 2006. Various other cast members of Saturday Night Live have appeared on 30 Rock, including Rachel Dratch, Fred Armisen
Fred Armisen
Fred Armisen is an American actor, comedian and musician best known for his work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and portraying off-color foreigners in various comedy films such as EuroTrip, Anchorman and Cop Out...
, Kristen Wiig
Kristen Wiig
Kristen Carroll Wiig is an American film and television actress who currently appears as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Wiig was a member of improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings, and has appeared in several films and television series, including Bridesmaids, MacGruber, Flight of...
, Will Forte
Will Forte
Orville Willis Forte IV, better known as Will Forte , is an American actor, voice actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2002–2010 and for starring in the SNL spin-off film MacGruber.-Early life:Forte was born in Alameda County, California, the son of...
, Chris Parnell
Chris Parnell
Thomas Christopher "Chris" Parnell is an American comic actor best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1998–2006 and currently for his recurring role as Dr. Leo Spaceman on NBC's Emmy Award-winning comedy series 30 Rock. Parnell also voices Cyril Figgis on the FX animated comedy...
and Molly Shannon
Molly Shannon
Molly Helen Shannon is an American comic actress best known for her work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995–2001 and for starring in the films Superstar and Year of the Dog. More recently, she starred in NBC's Kath & Kim from 2008–2009 and on the TBS animated series Neighbors from...
Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan have both been part of the main cast of Saturday Night Live. Alec Baldwin has also hosted Saturday Night Live fourteen times, the second highest number of episodes of any host of the series. This was actress Johnnie May's second appearance in 30 Rock. She previously appeared in the episode "Tracy Does Conan
Tracy Does Conan
"Tracy Does Conan" is the seventh episode of NBC's first season of 30 Rock. It was written by the series' creator and executive producer, Tina Fey and it was directed by one of the season's supervising producers, Adam Bernstein. It first aired on December 7, 2006 in the United States and November...
" as a nurse who takes Liz's blood for donation. In this episode she plays a screener who would not allow Liz past airport security because she had her Sandwich Day sandwich with her, and its dipping sauce container held "more than 3 ounces."
Reception
"Sandwich Day" brought in an average of 5.4 million viewers. The episode also achieved a 2.6/7 in the key 18–49 year old demographic. The 2.6 refers to 2.6% of all 18–49 years olds in the U.S., and the 7 refers to 7% of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast in the U.S.Robert Canning of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
wrote that this episode "turned out to be an absolute winner". He concluded that "with its more relatable storylines and moments like the eerie-voiced guy at the hospital, Liz tipping tables for her mac and cheese, and watching an entire sandwich be eaten in real time in the airport security line, 'Sandwich Day' was a definite highlight in the post-writers' strike season." Erin Fox of TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
said that "the minor story of the episode was probably the funniest". Jeff Labrecque of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
thought that this episode "was nothing more than...eh". He called this episode a "weak link".