30 Rock: A One-Time Special
  • Network: NBC
  • Series Premiere Date: Jul 16, 2020
Metascore
49

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 13
  3. Negative: 4 out of 13
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Critic Reviews

  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Kristen Baldwin
    Jul 17, 2020
    58
    It was a 60-minute sales pitch lumbering around inside the husk of an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning sitcom.
  2. CNN
    Reviewed by: Brian Lowry
    Jul 22, 2020
    50
    The content basically felt like the kind of promotional video that actors would be enlisted to shoot for an upfront sales presentation for advertisers, which is precisely what this was, just on a national platform. It was occasionally funny -- especially the outtakes at the end, for those who stuck around -- sporadically clever and more than anything, really strange.
  3. Variety
    Reviewed by: Caroline Framke
    Jul 17, 2020
    50
    If you’re a “30 Rock” fan who tuned in to see a “30 Rock” reunion special, it would have felt both very strange and... well, kind of familiar. ... Maybe if “30 Rock” were still airing now and had to integrate a Peacock shoutout instead of briefly returning for the express purpose of acting as an advertorial boost, it might’ve erred towards something slyer.
  5. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: James Poniewozik
    Jul 17, 2020
    40
    An hourlong, sporadically funny grinfomercial that occasionally recalled how good the show was at its best, but mostly underlined how long ago its cultural moment had passed.
  6. Slate
    Reviewed by: Willa Paskin
    Jul 17, 2020
    40
    The episode started well. ... But the velocity was disrupted, increasingly frequently, with throws to NBCUniversal content. ... Where there had once been toothless rebellion, now there was eager compliance—even if the show had trained me to see insincerity floating in the air, like the afterimage from decade-old flash.

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Most Shared TV Season of 2020

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
3.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 4 out of 7
  1. mickrussom
    Jan 1, 2021
    0
    absolutely horrible. an hour long pile of garbage which is a lame advert for the peacrap streaming service which censors the past. garbage and shame.
  2. notor12
    Jul 18, 2020
    7
    It definitely felt wrong to see the 30 Rock cast shilling for NBC instead of ruthlessly mocking it. But this wasn't as bad as the criticalIt definitely felt wrong to see the 30 Rock cast shilling for NBC instead of ruthlessly mocking it. But this wasn't as bad as the critical review score suggests.....

    Like a lot of the shows that have been made during the pandemic it really suffers from the Zoom format. It had some legitimately funny interactions and dialogue. But it also didn't feel totally necessary.    … Full Review »
  3. birdman3
    Jul 18, 2020
    7
    If this had been an actual 30 Rock episode, this one would've pretty middle-of-the-pack. As much as the episode does a lot of schilling forIf this had been an actual 30 Rock episode, this one would've pretty middle-of-the-pack. As much as the episode does a lot of schilling for NBC shows, it also has some genuine 30 Rock heart to it. The celebrity cameos are done in just the right style you would expect from this show, and Jenna is actually something of a scene-stealer. Overall, I'm glad they made it, and it makes me hope that once the pandemic is over, we can get a real reunion episode put together.… Full Review »
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