The Break-Up (30 Rock)
Encyclopedia
"The Break-Up" is the eighth episode of the first season
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
. It was written by co-executive producers Brett Baer
and Dave Finkel
, and directed by Scott Ellis
. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) in the United States on December 14, 2006. Guest stars in this episode include Rachel Dratch
, Chris Hansen
, Keith Powell
, Lonny Ross
, and Dean Winters
.
In the episode, Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) finally dumps Dennis Duffy (Winters) and prowls the singles scene, where she proves to be particularly inept at picking up guys, under Jenna Maroney
's (Jane Krakowski
) tutelage. Meanwhile, Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) and James "Toofer" Spurlock (Powell) clash, landing both in sensitivity training, and Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) dates a certain "high-ranking African-American member of the Bush Administration."
"The Break-Up" received generally good reception from critics. According to the Nielsen ratings
system, the episode was watched by 5.9 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.8 rating/8 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. Scott Ellis received a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for "The Break-Up".
(Tina Fey
) comes home to find her wall full of knife holes, a great dane
roaming her apartment, and a complete stranger on her bed, all courtesy of her boyfriend, Dennis Duffy (Dean Winters
). She breaks up with him, but Dennis claims squatter's rights
, so she gives him a week to move out. Liz and her friend, Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
), go out to try to pick up some men, but are very unsuccessful. The next day, Dennis walks in to the staff office of TGS with Tracy Jordan, announcing he has found a new apartment and reads a heartfelt letter to Liz. The staff suddenly turns on Liz after Dennis walks out, and Jenna suggests to Liz that in lieu of the previous night's disaster, she should re-consider getting back together with him. She suggests making a list of pros and cons. Liz compiles her list of pros and cons. She marks down a positive remark after coming home to find that Dennis has cleaned up the apartment, put up shelves and a TV stand, and left her dinner. In the evening, Dennis returns with an early Christmas present for Liz. She invites him in, but soon sees Dennis on Dateline
' s To Catch a Predator
. As a result of this, Liz breaks up with Dennis, and marks it down as a con.
Meanwhile, James "Toofer" Spurlock (Keith Powell
) is upset that Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) is cross-dressing
on TGS because it is demeaning to African-Americans. After a bit of objection, Toofer convinces Tracy to stop, handing the female character over to Josh Girard (Lonny Ross
). Once Josh's character is successful, Tracy is upset with Toofer. Liz convinces Toofer to work with Tracy. As they work together, Tracy gets upset with Toofer's supposed lack of blackness, and endearingly calls Toofer a racial slur
. The next morning, Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
), Liz, Toofer, and Tracy sit down for a meeting about Tracy's vocabulary from the previous night. Tracy and Jack point out that the African-American community has adopted the word to deprive it of its meaning. In trying to reach out to Tracy, Toofer says the word again but in a more aggressive tone of voice, which causes everyone to sympathize with Tracy. Tracy and Toofer attend sensitivity training
, start arguing, and in the process develop a new sketch for TGS. When show starts running short on time, Liz offers Tracy the option to either air the sketch or one from the Star Jones
cooking show, Tracy chooses the latter. Toofer is initially upset, but agrees with Tracy's decision when he finds the sketch funny.
In a subplot, Jack is secretly dating Condoleezza Rice
, but gets upset when he sees Vladimir Putin
touching her back. After being put on hold by Condoleezza, Jack walks into the bathroom and runs into Dennis there. Dennis, finding Jack a kindred spirit, shares his understanding of his relationship, motivating Jack to play hard to get. As a result, Jack breaks up with Condoleezza.
: "That guy wanted to buy you a drink."
Liz Lemon
: "Really? I already have a drink. Do you think he'd buy me mozzarella sticks?"
) always appears wearing a trucker hat with a humorous phrase written on it, which is Friedlander's routine trademark in real life, in this episode it reads, "Easy Hand" and "Kung Fu Beech".
and Dave Finkel
, and directed by Scott Ellis
. This episode was the first writing credit for both Baer and Finkel, and the first one Ellis directed for 30 Rock. Baer and Finkel would later collaborate on the episode "Fireworks
", that aired in the show's first season
on April 5, 2007. "The Break-Up" originally aired on NBC on December 14, 2006 as the eighth episode of the series.
This episode was actor Dean Winters' third appearance on the series as the character, Dennis Duffy, a former boyfriend of Tina Fey's character, Liz Lemon. He appeared in the episodes "Jack Meets Dennis
" and "Tracy Does Conan
". Finkel has appeared on the show in a 10-second internet sitcom, Makin' It Happen, alongside staff writer Kay Cannon
. The two play husband and wife. A series of Makin' It Happen was produced and the webisodes aired on NBC.com.
Rachel Dratch
, longtime comedy partner and fellow Saturday Night Live
(SNL) alumna of Fey, the latter who was the show's head writer from 1999 until 2006, was originally cast to portray Jenna Maroney
. Dratch played the role in the show's original pilot, but in August 2006, actress Jane Krakowski
was announced as Dratch's replacement. Executive producer Lorne Michaels
announced that while Dratch would not be playing a series regular, she would appear in various episodes in a different role. In this episode, Dratch played Pamela, a group therapist in charge of sensitivity training between Tracy and Toofer. This was Dratch's fifth appearance on the series. Various other cast members of SNL have appeared on 30 Rock. These cast members include: Chris Parnell
, Fred Armisen
, Kristen Wiig
, Will Forte
, Jason Sudeikis
and Molly Shannon
. Fey and Tracy Morgan
have both been part of the main cast of SNL. Chris Hansen
of Dateline NBC
' s television segment To Catch a Predator
appeared as himself in this episode, in which he confronts Dennis on To Catch a Predator.
system, "The Break-Up" was watched by 5.9 million households in its original American broadcast. It earned a 2.8 rating/8 share in the 18–49 demographic. This means that it was seen by 5.9 percent of all 18–49 years olds, and 8 percent of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. This was a decrease from the previous episode, "Tracy Does Conan
", which was watched by 6.84 million American viewers. Scott Ellis
, director of the episode, received a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination for Outstanding Directing For a Comedy Series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards
. Since airing, the episode received good reviews from television critics.
IGN
contributor Robert Canning said that "The Break-Up" was "well put together", noting that it had "[g]ood set ups and good execution" and that it "gave us good comedy" as it had "plenty to work with." In regards to the Liz and Dennis story, he admitted that while it was funny, it was "fairly stereotypical." Canning commented that Jack's relationship with Condoleezza Rice in the episode was a "great concept" and "offered up a good number of chuckles", although "it never became as clever as it appeared it was going to be." Canning gave the episode a 6.5 out of 10 rating. TV Guide
' s Matt Mitovich was complimentary towards the episode, reporting, "Now this is what I'm talking about. Second-tier cast integration, multiple stories going on, intimations that Condoleezza Rice likes phone sex ... Another winning week for NBC's 30 Rock." Mitovich enjoyed the fact that Jack was in a relationship with Rice, writing that another show "would build [the] whole episode around them" but that 30 Rock "made it that much funnier by playing it in the background and thus getting to be more outrageous with it." Julia Ward of AOL
's TV Squad wrote that Alec Baldwin "always knocks the ball out of the park on the acting front" but noted that "the best material" in this episode belonged to the Tracy and Toofer story. "The show does have a tendency to telegraph its punchlines, but it was nice to have the two men's differences resolved by finding the funny in a Star Jones/excessive vomiting sketch." Ward was complimentary towards Jane Krakowski, observing that her "comic timing" in "The Break-Up" was "impeccable as usual, but it would be nice to see her character get a tad more three-dimensional." Amy Amatangelo of the Boston Herald
enjoyed Dean Winters' appearances on the show, citing that he does a "hilarious turn" as Dennis, while the Houston Chronicle
' s Mike McDaniel opined that Winters had a "[s]cene-stealing and hilarious role" on the show.
30 Rock (season 1)
The first season of the television comedy series 30 Rock originally aired between October 11, 2006 and April 26, 2007 on NBC in the United States...
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...
. It was written by co-executive producers Brett Baer
Brett Baer
Brett Baer is an American television producer, actor, and screenwriter who has worked on many successful television shows. Baer often works with his screenwriting partner Dave Finkel.- Writing work :* 30 Rock * Joey * The Norm Show...
and Dave Finkel
Dave Finkel
Dave Finkel is an American television producer, actor, and screenwriter who has worked on many successful television shows. He often works with his screenwriting partner Brett Baer.- Writing work :* 30 Rock * Joey...
, and directed by Scott Ellis
Scott Ellis
Scott Ellis is an American stage director and television director.-Biography:Ellis has directed numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway productions, including the New York City Opera Company revivals at the New York State Theatre: A Little Night Music and 110 in the Shade up to his current show, the...
. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
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...
(NBC) in the United States on December 14, 2006. Guest stars in this episode include Rachel Dratch
Rachel Dratch
Rachel Susan Dratch is an American comic actress best known for her roles as a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006.-Early life:...
, Chris Hansen
Chris Hansen
Christopher Edward "Chris" Hansen is an American television infotainment personality. He is known for his work on Dateline NBC, in particular the former segment known as To Catch a Predator, which revolved around catching potential Internet sex predators using a sting operation.-Career:Hansen...
, Keith Powell
Keith Powell
Keith Powell is an American television actor who is best known for his role as James "Toofer" Spurlock on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock.-Career:Powell was the Producing Artistic Director of Contemporary Stage Company, a summer theater in Wilmington, Delaware...
, Lonny Ross
Lonny Ross
Lonny Ross is a comedy actor and writer. He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his work as Josh Girard on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock...
, and Dean Winters
Dean Winters
Dean Winters is an American actor, who has portrayed Ryan O'Reily on HBO's Oz, Johnny Gavin on FX Network's Rescue Me, and Dennis Duffy on NBC's 30 Rock...
.
In the episode, 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...
) finally dumps Dennis Duffy (Winters) and prowls the singles scene, where she proves to be particularly inept at picking up guys, under 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...
's (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...
) tutelage. 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:...
) and James "Toofer" Spurlock (Powell) clash, landing both in sensitivity training, and 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...
) dates a certain "high-ranking African-American member of the Bush Administration."
"The Break-Up" received generally good reception from critics. According to the Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
system, the episode was watched by 5.9 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.8 rating/8 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. Scott Ellis received a Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for "The Break-Up".
Plot
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:...
(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...
) comes home to find her wall full of knife holes, a great dane
Great Dane
The Great Dane , also known as German Mastiff or Danish Hound , is a breed of domestic dog known for its giant size...
roaming her apartment, and a complete stranger on her bed, all courtesy of her boyfriend, Dennis Duffy (Dean Winters
Dean Winters
Dean Winters is an American actor, who has portrayed Ryan O'Reily on HBO's Oz, Johnny Gavin on FX Network's Rescue Me, and Dennis Duffy on NBC's 30 Rock...
). She breaks up with him, but Dennis claims squatter's rights
Adverse possession
Adverse possession is a process by which premises can change ownership. It is a common law concept concerning the title to real property . By adverse possession, title to another's real property can be acquired without compensation, by holding the property in a manner that conflicts with the true...
, so she gives him a week to move out. Liz and her friend, 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...
), go out to try to pick up some men, but are very unsuccessful. The next day, Dennis walks in to the staff office of TGS with Tracy Jordan, announcing he has found a new apartment and reads a heartfelt letter to Liz. The staff suddenly turns on Liz after Dennis walks out, and Jenna suggests to Liz that in lieu of the previous night's disaster, she should re-consider getting back together with him. She suggests making a list of pros and cons. Liz compiles her list of pros and cons. She marks down a positive remark after coming home to find that Dennis has cleaned up the apartment, put up shelves and a TV stand, and left her dinner. In the evening, Dennis returns with an early Christmas present for Liz. She invites him in, but soon sees Dennis on Dateline
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
To Catch a Predator
To Catch a Predator is an American reality television series that features hidden camera investigations by the television newsmagazine program Dateline NBC. It is devoted to impersonating underage youth and detaining adults who contact them over the Internet for sexual liaisons...
. As a result of this, Liz breaks up with Dennis, and marks it down as a con.
Meanwhile, James "Toofer" Spurlock (Keith Powell
Keith Powell
Keith Powell is an American television actor who is best known for his role as James "Toofer" Spurlock on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock.-Career:Powell was the Producing Artistic Director of Contemporary Stage Company, a summer theater in Wilmington, Delaware...
) is upset that 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:...
) is cross-dressing
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
on TGS because it is demeaning to African-Americans. After a bit of objection, Toofer convinces Tracy to stop, handing the female character over to Josh Girard (Lonny Ross
Lonny Ross
Lonny Ross is a comedy actor and writer. He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his work as Josh Girard on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock...
). Once Josh's character is successful, Tracy is upset with Toofer. Liz convinces Toofer to work with Tracy. As they work together, Tracy gets upset with Toofer's supposed lack of blackness, and endearingly calls Toofer a racial slur
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
. The next morning, 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...
), Liz, Toofer, and Tracy sit down for a meeting about Tracy's vocabulary from the previous night. Tracy and Jack point out that the African-American community has adopted the word to deprive it of its meaning. In trying to reach out to Tracy, Toofer says the word again but in a more aggressive tone of voice, which causes everyone to sympathize with Tracy. Tracy and Toofer attend sensitivity training
Sensitivity training
Sensitivity Training is a form of training that claims to make people more aware of their own prejudices, and more sensitive to others. According to its critics, it involves the use of psychological techniques with groups that its critics, e.g. G. Edward Griffin, claim are often identical to...
, start arguing, and in the process develop a new sketch for TGS. When show starts running short on time, Liz offers Tracy the option to either air the sketch or one from the Star Jones
Star Jones
Star Jones is an American lawyer, journalist, writer, and television personality. She is known for her role as a co-host of the ABC weekday morning talk show The View...
cooking show, Tracy chooses the latter. Toofer is initially upset, but agrees with Tracy's decision when he finds the sketch funny.
In a subplot, Jack is secretly dating 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...
, but gets upset when he sees Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
touching her back. After being put on hold by Condoleezza, Jack walks into the bathroom and runs into Dennis there. Dennis, finding Jack a kindred spirit, shares his understanding of his relationship, motivating Jack to play hard to get. As a result, Jack breaks up with Condoleezza.
Memorable Quotes
Jenna MaroneyJenna 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...
: "That guy wanted to buy you a drink."
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:...
: "Really? I already have a drink. Do you think he'd buy me mozzarella sticks?"
Trivia
Frank Rossitano (Judah FriedlanderJudah Friedlander
Judah Friedlander is an American actor and comedian, known for his trademark trucker hats, oversized glasses and unkempt appearance, which he retains in many of his screen roles.-Early life:...
) always appears wearing a trucker hat with a humorous phrase written on it, which is Friedlander's routine trademark in real life, in this episode it reads, "Easy Hand" and "Kung Fu Beech".
Production
"The Break-Up" was written by that season's co-executive producers Brett BaerBrett Baer
Brett Baer is an American television producer, actor, and screenwriter who has worked on many successful television shows. Baer often works with his screenwriting partner Dave Finkel.- Writing work :* 30 Rock * Joey * The Norm Show...
and Dave Finkel
Dave Finkel
Dave Finkel is an American television producer, actor, and screenwriter who has worked on many successful television shows. He often works with his screenwriting partner Brett Baer.- Writing work :* 30 Rock * Joey...
, and directed by Scott Ellis
Scott Ellis
Scott Ellis is an American stage director and television director.-Biography:Ellis has directed numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway productions, including the New York City Opera Company revivals at the New York State Theatre: A Little Night Music and 110 in the Shade up to his current show, the...
. This episode was the first writing credit for both Baer and Finkel, and the first one Ellis directed for 30 Rock. Baer and Finkel would later collaborate on the episode "Fireworks
Fireworks (30 Rock)
"Fireworks" is the eighteenth episode of NBC's first season of 30 Rock. It was written by two of the season's co-executive producers Brett Baer and Dave Finkel, and it was directed by Beth McCarthy. It first aired on April 5, 2007 in the United States...
", that aired in the show's first season
30 Rock (season 1)
The first season of the television comedy series 30 Rock originally aired between October 11, 2006 and April 26, 2007 on NBC in the United States...
on April 5, 2007. "The Break-Up" originally aired on NBC on December 14, 2006 as the eighth episode of the series.
This episode was actor Dean Winters' third appearance on the series as the character, Dennis Duffy, a former boyfriend of Tina Fey's character, Liz Lemon. He appeared in the episodes "Jack Meets Dennis
Jack Meets Dennis
"Jack Meets Dennis" is the sixth episode of the first season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock. It was written by co-executive producer Jack Burditt, and directed by Juan J. Campanella. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company in the United States on...
" and "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...
". Finkel has appeared on the show in a 10-second internet sitcom, Makin
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:...
. The two play husband and wife. A series of Makin
Rachel Dratch
Rachel Dratch
Rachel Susan Dratch is an American comic actress best known for her roles as a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006.-Early life:...
, longtime comedy partner and fellow 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...
(SNL) alumna of Fey, the latter who was the show's head writer from 1999 until 2006, was originally cast to portray 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...
. Dratch played the role in the show's original pilot, but in August 2006, actress 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...
was announced as Dratch's replacement. Executive producer Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels, CM is a Canadian-American television producer, writer, and comedian best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live and producing the various film and TV projects that spun off from it.-Early life:...
announced that while Dratch would not be playing a series regular, she would appear in various episodes in a different role. In this episode, Dratch played Pamela, a group therapist in charge of sensitivity training between Tracy and Toofer. This was Dratch's fifth appearance on the series. Various other cast members of SNL have appeared on 30 Rock. These cast members include: 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...
, 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...
, 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...
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...
. Fey and 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:...
have both been part of the main cast of SNL. Chris Hansen
Chris Hansen
Christopher Edward "Chris" Hansen is an American television infotainment personality. He is known for his work on Dateline NBC, in particular the former segment known as To Catch a Predator, which revolved around catching potential Internet sex predators using a sting operation.-Career:Hansen...
of Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
To Catch a Predator
To Catch a Predator is an American reality television series that features hidden camera investigations by the television newsmagazine program Dateline NBC. It is devoted to impersonating underage youth and detaining adults who contact them over the Internet for sexual liaisons...
appeared as himself in this episode, in which he confronts Dennis on To Catch a Predator.
Reception
According to the Nielsen ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
system, "The Break-Up" was watched by 5.9 million households in its original American broadcast. It earned a 2.8 rating/8 share in the 18–49 demographic. This means that it was seen by 5.9 percent of all 18–49 years olds, and 8 percent of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. This was a decrease from the previous 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...
", which was watched by 6.84 million American viewers. Scott Ellis
Scott Ellis
Scott Ellis is an American stage director and television director.-Biography:Ellis has directed numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway productions, including the New York City Opera Company revivals at the New York State Theatre: A Little Night Music and 110 in the Shade up to his current show, the...
, director of the episode, received a Primetime Emmy Award
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American primetime television programming...
nomination for Outstanding Directing For a Comedy Series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards
59th Primetime Emmy Awards
The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on September 16, 2007 and were televised live on Fox at 8:00 p.m. EDT for the first time in high definition...
. Since airing, the episode received good reviews from television critics.
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...
contributor Robert Canning said that "The Break-Up" was "well put together", noting that it had "[g]ood set ups and good execution" and that it "gave us good comedy" as it had "plenty to work with." In regards to the Liz and Dennis story, he admitted that while it was funny, it was "fairly stereotypical." Canning commented that Jack's relationship with Condoleezza Rice in the episode was a "great concept" and "offered up a good number of chuckles", although "it never became as clever as it appeared it was going to be." Canning gave the episode a 6.5 out of 10 rating. 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...
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
's TV Squad wrote that Alec Baldwin "always knocks the ball out of the park on the acting front" but noted that "the best material" in this episode belonged to the Tracy and Toofer story. "The show does have a tendency to telegraph its punchlines, but it was nice to have the two men's differences resolved by finding the funny in a Star Jones/excessive vomiting sketch." Ward was complimentary towards Jane Krakowski, observing that her "comic timing" in "The Break-Up" was "impeccable as usual, but it would be nice to see her character get a tad more three-dimensional." Amy Amatangelo of the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
enjoyed Dean Winters' appearances on the show, citing that he does a "hilarious turn" as Dennis, while the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...