¡Qué Sorpresa!
Encyclopedia
"¡Qué Sorpresa!" is the thirteenth episode of the fifth season
of the American television comedy series 30 Rock
, and the 93rd overall episode of the series. It was directed by John Riggi
, and written by Matt Hubbard
. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) network in the United States on February 3, 2011. Guest stars include Ken Howard
, Vanessa Minnillo
, Brian Williams
, Richard Belzer
, Ice-T
, and Elizabeth Banks
.
In the episode, Jack Donaghy
(Alec Baldwin
) meets with Kabletown's boss, Hank Hooper. Jack doesn't like Hank's tactics of being a friendly boss and, in order to impress him, steals Kenneth Parcell's
(Jack McBrayer
) idea. Liz Lemon
keeps Avery Jessup's pregnancy from relentless reporter Carmen Chao (Vanessa Minnillo
). Meanwhile, Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
) and Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
) fight over a sweatshirt.
According to Nielsen Media Research
, "¡Qué Sorpresa!" was watched by 4.784 million viewers during its original broadcast and received a 2.4 rating/6 share among adults aged 18–49.
(Alec Baldwin
) goes to the "TGS" set and tells them that Hank Hooper (Ken Howard
) the boss of NBC's
Kabletown
is touring 30 Rockefeller Plaza and tells them all, especially Tracy Jordan
(Tracy Morgan
)and Jenna Maroney
(Jane Krakowski
), to act normal and tells them of his desire to make a good first impression. Meanwhile, Tracy and Jenna receive a gift basket from Hank Hooper. The gift basket contains two of the following: MacBook Pro
, a watch, and a cellphone. Both are very happy with each other until they see only one Kabletown sweatshirt. Tracy unwillingly lets Jenna have it.
Later, Jack tells Liz Lemon
(Tina Fey
) to go shopping for baby stuff with Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks
), who has cleverly hidden her 8-month pregnancy from her co-workers by wearing "fashionable" wizard cloaks. Jack goes on to tell her that Avery's dream career as the Financial reporter for NBC Nightly News
would not be possible if they find out about the pregnancy, especially Carmen Chao (Vanessa Minnillo
), an MSNBC
reporter with an unknown ethnic background
who is relentlessly trying to reveal Avery's secret pregnancy. Avery and Liz meet Carmen at the baby store where Liz defends Avery's secret pregnancy by saying that she is pregnant. Knowing this to be false, Carmen schedules an "interview" with Liz about single mothers.
Jenna and Tracy continue to fight over the sweatshirt, so they talk to Liz about it, where both are wearing one side of the sweatshirt. Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit
) tells them lay off Liz because she is "pregnant". As a result, Liz goes on to get the sweatshirt and throws it in the trashcan.
Jack meets Hank , who hugs him at first sight, at the corporate dining room (which Hank turned into an "Everyone Dining Room"), much to Jack's horror. While eating, Hank convinces Jack to do an employee pitch day, where every employee can pitch their ideas to upper management. The pitch doesn't go well, so Jack pitches an idea of his own to Hank. His idea is the Voice-Activated remote (or "Vo-Act"). Jack's idea is also unsuccessful as the characters on the TV can also control the television. With no apparent choice, he steals Kenneth's idea: the Blah-Bar, where there is a black bar on the bottom part of the screen which prevents people from seeing anything dirty. Jack tells this to Kenneth and asks him for what he wants, despite the fact that Kenneth wants nothing.
Meanwhile, Liz's plan backfires when the "TGS" staff hear that Liz is pregnant. Jack convinces Liz to keep it that way, but Carmen keeps questioning Liz intensely. To really get the truth out of Liz, Carmen makes her do sexy pregnancy photos. During the photo shoot, Carmen tells Liz that she knows she's not pregnant and tries to convince her to admit it, but Carmen and her cameraman run away quickly when they see Liz grab oil and rub it on her stomach.
Eventually, Jack tells Hank about stealing Kenneth's idea, with Kenneth in the room, apologizes, and files for his resignation. But Hank says that they're "gonna be just fine." And since, Kenneth wants nothing, Hank suggests that they hug, much to Kenneth's joy.
In the end, Avery is moved to NBC Nightly News
(to Carmen's chagrin) and her pregnancy is finally revealed. To acknowledge their gratefulness for Liz's efforts to help Avery, Jack and Avery plan to give their daughter the middle name Elizabeth. Tracy and Jenna find out that Liz is not pregnant, so she gives them her "pregnancy" photos as her "punishment".
, this episode of 30 Rock was watched by 4.784 million households in its original American broadcast. It earned a 2.4 rating/6 share in the 18–49 demographic. This means that it was seen by 2.4 percent of all 18–49 years olds, and 6 percent of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. The figure was a decrease from the previous episode, Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning
, which was seen by 4.922 million households.
Alan Sepinwall of HitFix
described the episode as "uneven but funny-enough" and spoke positively about Ken Howard's performance, but opined that "the Liz/Avery/Vanessa Minillo story was underdeveloped and didn't have a good enough payoff [...] and the only good thing about the Tracy/Jenna subplot was how quickly it got back-burnered."
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 93rd overall episode of the series. It was 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...
, and written by 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...
. 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) network in the United States on February 3, 2011. Guest stars include Ken Howard
Ken Howard
Kenneth Joseph "Ken" Howard, Jr. is an American actor, best known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow...
, Vanessa Minnillo
Vanessa Minnillo
Vanessa Joy Lachey is an-American television personality, television host, model, and actress. A former Miss Teen USA, she has been a New York-based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight and a host of Total Request Live on MTV...
, Brian Williams
Brian Williams
Brian Douglas Williams is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004...
, Richard Belzer
Richard Belzer
Richard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest...
, Ice-T
ICE-T
* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
, and 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...
.
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...
) meets with Kabletown's boss, Hank Hooper. Jack doesn't like Hank's tactics of being a friendly boss and, in order to impress him, steals Kenneth Parcell's
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"...
) idea. 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:...
keeps Avery Jessup's pregnancy from relentless reporter Carmen Chao (Vanessa Minnillo
Vanessa Minnillo
Vanessa Joy Lachey is an-American television personality, television host, model, and actress. A former Miss Teen USA, she has been a New York-based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight and a host of Total Request Live on MTV...
). 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 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...
) fight over a sweatshirt.
According to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
, "¡Qué Sorpresa!" was watched by 4.784 million viewers during its original broadcast and received a 2.4 rating/6 share among adults aged 18–49.
Plot
Jack DonaghyJack 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...
) goes to the "TGS" set and tells them that Hank Hooper (Ken Howard
Ken Howard
Kenneth Joseph "Ken" Howard, Jr. is an American actor, best known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow...
) the boss of NBC's
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...
Kabletown
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
is touring 30 Rockefeller Plaza and tells them all, especially 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 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...
), to act normal and tells them of his desire to make a good first impression. Meanwhile, Tracy and Jenna receive a gift basket from Hank Hooper. The gift basket contains two of the following: MacBook Pro
MacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro is a line of Macintosh portable computers introduced in January 2006 by Apple. It replaced the PowerBook G4 and was the second model, after the iMac, to be announced in the Apple–Intel transition...
, a watch, and a cellphone. Both are very happy with each other until they see only one Kabletown sweatshirt. Tracy unwillingly lets Jenna have it.
Later, Jack tells 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...
) to go shopping for baby stuff with 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...
), who has cleverly hidden her 8-month pregnancy from her co-workers by wearing "fashionable" wizard cloaks. Jack goes on to tell her that Avery's dream career as the Financial reporter for NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
would not be possible if they find out about the pregnancy, especially Carmen Chao (Vanessa Minnillo
Vanessa Minnillo
Vanessa Joy Lachey is an-American television personality, television host, model, and actress. A former Miss Teen USA, she has been a New York-based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight and a host of Total Request Live on MTV...
), an MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
reporter with an unknown ethnic background
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
who is relentlessly trying to reveal Avery's secret pregnancy. Avery and Liz meet Carmen at the baby store where Liz defends Avery's secret pregnancy by saying that she is pregnant. Knowing this to be false, Carmen schedules an "interview" with Liz about single mothers.
Jenna and Tracy continue to fight over the sweatshirt, so they talk to Liz about it, where both are wearing one side of the sweatshirt. Pete Hornberger (Scott Adsit
Scott Adsit
Scott Adsit is an American actor, writer and improvisational comedian. He is currently co-starring as Pete Hornberger in the hit NBC comedy 30 Rock and worked in the Adult Swim stop-motion animation programs Moral Orel and Mary Shelley's Frankenhole.-1990s:After attending Columbia College Chicago,...
) tells them lay off Liz because she is "pregnant". As a result, Liz goes on to get the sweatshirt and throws it in the trashcan.
Jack meets Hank , who hugs him at first sight, at the corporate dining room (which Hank turned into an "Everyone Dining Room"), much to Jack's horror. While eating, Hank convinces Jack to do an employee pitch day, where every employee can pitch their ideas to upper management. The pitch doesn't go well, so Jack pitches an idea of his own to Hank. His idea is the Voice-Activated remote (or "Vo-Act"). Jack's idea is also unsuccessful as the characters on the TV can also control the television. With no apparent choice, he steals Kenneth's idea: the Blah-Bar, where there is a black bar on the bottom part of the screen which prevents people from seeing anything dirty. Jack tells this to Kenneth and asks him for what he wants, despite the fact that Kenneth wants nothing.
Meanwhile, Liz's plan backfires when the "TGS" staff hear that Liz is pregnant. Jack convinces Liz to keep it that way, but Carmen keeps questioning Liz intensely. To really get the truth out of Liz, Carmen makes her do sexy pregnancy photos. During the photo shoot, Carmen tells Liz that she knows she's not pregnant and tries to convince her to admit it, but Carmen and her cameraman run away quickly when they see Liz grab oil and rub it on her stomach.
Eventually, Jack tells Hank about stealing Kenneth's idea, with Kenneth in the room, apologizes, and files for his resignation. But Hank says that they're "gonna be just fine." And since, Kenneth wants nothing, Hank suggests that they hug, much to Kenneth's joy.
In the end, Avery is moved to NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
(to Carmen's chagrin) and her pregnancy is finally revealed. To acknowledge their gratefulness for Liz's efforts to help Avery, Jack and Avery plan to give their daughter the middle name Elizabeth. Tracy and Jenna find out that Liz is not pregnant, so she gives them her "pregnancy" photos as her "punishment".
Reception
According to the Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
, this episode of 30 Rock was watched by 4.784 million households in its original American broadcast. It earned a 2.4 rating/6 share in the 18–49 demographic. This means that it was seen by 2.4 percent of all 18–49 years olds, and 6 percent of all 18–49 year olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. The figure was a decrease from the previous episode, Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning
Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning
"Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock. It was written by executive producer Robert Carlock. The director of this episode was Beth McCarthy-Miller. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company ...
, which was seen by 4.922 million households.
Alan Sepinwall of HitFix
HitFix
HitFix, or the HitFix.com is an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information and providing reviews and critiques of film, music and television...
described the episode as "uneven but funny-enough" and spoke positively about Ken Howard's performance, but opined that "the Liz/Avery/Vanessa Minillo story was underdeveloped and didn't have a good enough payoff [...] and the only good thing about the Tracy/Jenna subplot was how quickly it got back-burnered."