With this being the season finale written by creator/star Tina Fey, here's the synopsis in a nutshell: Jack, having taken a position with Homeland Security because of Guiess' coma and the aftermath in the last episode, calls Liz from D.C. and tells her he won't be back. Liz finds she's tested positive for pregnancy and has revealed to Jenna that Dennis is the father. Kenneth tells Pete about applying to be a page at the Beijing Olympics which Pete can relate to since he still resents then-President Carter for boycotting the Moscow one when he was practicing archery. "Peanut farmer!" Turns out the deadline is due today and not two weeks from now so Kenneth's nemesis page purposely gave him the wrong memo. Thankfully, Jenna helps with her DVD on the page's qualities. Back in D.C., Jack is mentoring a Cooter Burger (Matthew Broderick) the acting head of Homeland Security who keeps denying ceiling leaks and whose office has no pens. After his former receptionist Jonathan calls about Guiess saying something from his coma, Jack tries to quit but has to get himself fired so he asks for former love C.C.'s help. An item about a "Gay Bomb" might do the trick...Lots of other stuff happens here but let me just say this was a pretty hilarious way to end the strike-shortened second season of "30 Rock"! Loved seeing the return of Dennis and C.C. Plenty of fine visuals to accommodate the many witty lines thought up by Ms. Fey. The "Three Months Later" cliffhangers should be enough for anyone to savor the next season when "30 Rock" comes back for, once again, a full season. (unless a possible actors strike goes into effect after June 30...) Now about that "Gay Bomb"...
7 Reviews
Fantastic Episode!
g-bodyl1 August 2014
This is the fifteenth and final episode of the second season of 30 Rock. It's unfortunate that this season was drastically cut short, But perhaps it means a better Season 3. But anyway, another fantastic episode that is funny, has great acting, and welcomes Matthew Broderick as a very good addition to the show as a guest star.
In this episode, "Cooter," jack gets a job working for Homeland Security and he regrets taking the job so he tries to get fired. Liz tests positive in her pregnancy test and she believes Dennis to be the father. Tracy finishes his pornography video game and Kenneth wants to head to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but the head page wants to foil those plans.
Overall, this is an incredible finale and all the story lines are excellent and some are even relatable. I loved the government part of the show especially the idea of a "gay-bomb." That was the highlight of this episode. I rate this episode 9/10.
In this episode, "Cooter," jack gets a job working for Homeland Security and he regrets taking the job so he tries to get fired. Liz tests positive in her pregnancy test and she believes Dennis to be the father. Tracy finishes his pornography video game and Kenneth wants to head to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but the head page wants to foil those plans.
Overall, this is an incredible finale and all the story lines are excellent and some are even relatable. I loved the government part of the show especially the idea of a "gay-bomb." That was the highlight of this episode. I rate this episode 9/10.
Cooter (#2.15)
ComedyFan201026 November 2013
Warning: Spoilers
And this is a finale of a short but pretty amazing second season.
Jack works in homeland security, Liz gets positive pregnancy tests and the only father can be Dennis and Kenneth tries to apply for the Olympics as a page.
Well done episode. A guest star in this one is Matthew Broderick, and his character is pretty entertaining. I like how he tells Jack that there is no ceiling leak.
Liz's pregnancy scare seems to be opening a nice storyline for the next season regarding adoption.
And Kenneth's application story is hilarious, with the best part being the reference Jenna created for him as well as him running to the 27th floor to bring his application on time.
Jack works in homeland security, Liz gets positive pregnancy tests and the only father can be Dennis and Kenneth tries to apply for the Olympics as a page.
Well done episode. A guest star in this one is Matthew Broderick, and his character is pretty entertaining. I like how he tells Jack that there is no ceiling leak.
Liz's pregnancy scare seems to be opening a nice storyline for the next season regarding adoption.
And Kenneth's application story is hilarious, with the best part being the reference Jenna created for him as well as him running to the 27th floor to bring his application on time.
Season 2: Painfully short season but it continues to be very fresh and very funny
bob the moo29 March 2009
Although the situation is getting better (mainly to fight piracy), the UK is regularly quite some time behind the US in regards TV shows. As it is we have just finished season 2 of 30 Rock even though the US is nearly at the end of season 3. The timing for this is fine for me though because I am coming into the whole 30 Rock thing late, having not given it a chance when it first came out over here. I loved season 1 and happily season 2 continues in more or less the same vein as before, with lots of laughs and solid plots holding them in a frame so that it is not a sketch show.
The immediate thing one notices about season 2 is the presence of big names guests such as Al Gore, Jerry Seinfeld and others. This is usually the indication of a dying sitcom, one that is struggling with ratings and is wheeling in the big names to try and get publicity and encourage viewers to tune in. It rarely works and you can see it fail in things like My Name is Earl (Paris Hilton I'm looking at you). Here though it doesn't seem to be the case because rather the stars seem more than happy to be involved and it is clear that 30 Rock is in no need of them to be funny or an attraction. It does make great use of them though the Seinfeld episode being particularly funny and it shows that 30 Rock is able to get these names because of the quality of the comedy.
Although the season is far too short due to the writer's strike, it is still very funny and the plots do more or less work. OK none of it is narrative driven but the laughs keep coming and thus, to me, the plots do their job. The cast continue to be roundly excellent. Fey's geeky single woman is great fun (favourite line "a dog took it, came out of nowhere") but yet she doesn't dominate the show in the way she easily could as it creator. Instead we get lots of good material for the others, all of whom turn in funny turns. My favourites continue to be Morgan and McBrayer with their fun oddness delivered really well but Krakowski, Adsit, Friedlander and others all do well. Baldwin yet again impresses with his comedy chops and his gruff delivery is perfect for his sharp lines.
Season 2 continues the strengths of season 1, with the added benefit of big name guests cancelling out the tragically short run of the season. Very fresh, very funny and well worth seeing if, like me, you originally missed the boat on this. Cannot wait for season 3.
The immediate thing one notices about season 2 is the presence of big names guests such as Al Gore, Jerry Seinfeld and others. This is usually the indication of a dying sitcom, one that is struggling with ratings and is wheeling in the big names to try and get publicity and encourage viewers to tune in. It rarely works and you can see it fail in things like My Name is Earl (Paris Hilton I'm looking at you). Here though it doesn't seem to be the case because rather the stars seem more than happy to be involved and it is clear that 30 Rock is in no need of them to be funny or an attraction. It does make great use of them though the Seinfeld episode being particularly funny and it shows that 30 Rock is able to get these names because of the quality of the comedy.
Although the season is far too short due to the writer's strike, it is still very funny and the plots do more or less work. OK none of it is narrative driven but the laughs keep coming and thus, to me, the plots do their job. The cast continue to be roundly excellent. Fey's geeky single woman is great fun (favourite line "a dog took it, came out of nowhere") but yet she doesn't dominate the show in the way she easily could as it creator. Instead we get lots of good material for the others, all of whom turn in funny turns. My favourites continue to be Morgan and McBrayer with their fun oddness delivered really well but Krakowski, Adsit, Friedlander and others all do well. Baldwin yet again impresses with his comedy chops and his gruff delivery is perfect for his sharp lines.
Season 2 continues the strengths of season 1, with the added benefit of big name guests cancelling out the tragically short run of the season. Very fresh, very funny and well worth seeing if, like me, you originally missed the boat on this. Cannot wait for season 3.
The Gay Bomb
MaxBorg8930 October 2008
Despite the shorter episode order caused by the WGA strike, the second season of 30 Rock lived up to everything that had been promised the year before. The season finale, which got Tina Fey an Emmy for Outstanding Writing, proves that no strike in the world can prevent these guys from coming up with a strong conclusion and leaves the door open for several interesting developments in Season 3.
Starting where Sandwich Day ended, the episode focuses for the most part on Liz's positive pregnancy test and the terrible revelation that there's only one man who can be the father: Dennis. Things don't go that well for Kenneth either, since he's applying for the position of page at the Beijing Olympics and discovers his rival gave him the wrong deadline date on purpose (he's supposed to turn in his application on that very day). Jack, on the other hand, has taken a job at Homeland Security in Washington and starts mentoring the young and inexperienced Cooter Burger (Matthew Broderick) who won't acknowledge his office's leaking ceiling or other problems. The only person who seems to be reasonably cheerful is Tracy, who has finished his pornographic video game.
The writing is as sharp as ever, what with all the funny names (Cooter Burger: splendid), witty exchanges and overall insane situations. Acting-wise, Fey is at her best when confronting Dean Winters (still ace), with Baldwin managing the same thing with Broderick (man, can he be funny when he really wants to). There is no time to breathe as great gag follows great gag, at a rate that would even make a prime episode of The Simpsons pale in comparison. From start to wonderfully silly conclusion (a terrific "three months later" scene), it's so. Damn. Hilarious.
Strike or no strike, Cooter remains a spot-on finale for an outstanding season of very good comedy. If one really has to complain about something, there would be one minor detail: is there any chance Rachel Dratch will come back in the third series?
Starting where Sandwich Day ended, the episode focuses for the most part on Liz's positive pregnancy test and the terrible revelation that there's only one man who can be the father: Dennis. Things don't go that well for Kenneth either, since he's applying for the position of page at the Beijing Olympics and discovers his rival gave him the wrong deadline date on purpose (he's supposed to turn in his application on that very day). Jack, on the other hand, has taken a job at Homeland Security in Washington and starts mentoring the young and inexperienced Cooter Burger (Matthew Broderick) who won't acknowledge his office's leaking ceiling or other problems. The only person who seems to be reasonably cheerful is Tracy, who has finished his pornographic video game.
The writing is as sharp as ever, what with all the funny names (Cooter Burger: splendid), witty exchanges and overall insane situations. Acting-wise, Fey is at her best when confronting Dean Winters (still ace), with Baldwin managing the same thing with Broderick (man, can he be funny when he really wants to). There is no time to breathe as great gag follows great gag, at a rate that would even make a prime episode of The Simpsons pale in comparison. From start to wonderfully silly conclusion (a terrific "three months later" scene), it's so. Damn. Hilarious.
Strike or no strike, Cooter remains a spot-on finale for an outstanding season of very good comedy. If one really has to complain about something, there would be one minor detail: is there any chance Rachel Dratch will come back in the third series?
Guest starring Ming Zhao and Matthew Broderick
safenoe29 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Ming Zhao guest stars in the season 2 finale of 30 Rock. Wonderful to see Matthew Broderick also guest star as a proud member of the Bush Administration. Pete's reference to the 1980 Olympic boycott and its impact on his archery career was hilarious and paid off at the end, as Kenneth was on his way to submit his application to attend the Beijing Olympics.
It's easy to forget that 30 Rock debuted at the same time as Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. The conventional wisdom was that only one would survive renewal for season 2. The rest is history. But still, it's a shame Studio 60 couldn't also be renewed.
It's easy to forget that 30 Rock debuted at the same time as Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. The conventional wisdom was that only one would survive renewal for season 2. The rest is history. But still, it's a shame Studio 60 couldn't also be renewed.
Hilarious finale
anselmdaniel27 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This review contains spoilers.
Cooter is the season two finale to 30 Rock. The episode is an unofficial season finale that was caused by the writer's strike. This episode ties many story lines in the running time. Jack Donaghy wants to leave a job in politics that he must do his best to get fired at. Liz Lemon is grappling with a pregnancy scare. Kenneth has a problem with a rival page. Tracy creates a pornographic video game.
Cooter is a surprisingly good season finale. It absolutely does feel rushed but it is able to assemble the storylines from the earlier episodes into a somewhat cohesive finale. I enjoyed the storylines a lot and it was incredibly satisfying to see it all get tied together. Jack Donaghy's story of trying to create a gay bomb is a great highlight in this episode.
I would recommend the season two finale "Cooter".
Grade: B
30 Rock Season Two
The second season of 30 Rock starts with the cast and crew of The Girly Show coming off of a summer hiatus. Much of the season's episodes do not support a long story arc. The episodes are often self-contained stories that can stand on their own. Some of the plot-lines in this season include Jack Donaghy dating a liberal Congresswoman named C.C. Tracy deals with problems in his marriage. Jenna must deal with her obesity problem.
The second season of 30 Rock feels more structured than the first season. Now that the audience knows the characters, the writing can be more wild and incorporate each of the characters better. There are a lot of highlight episodes here such as Jack Donaghy's falling for the liberal Congresswoman, Jack Donaghy competing with Devon Banks, Dennis Duffy being a local hero, and sandwich day. The writing as a whole is much improved over the first season even with the Writers Strike going on.
The season is much shorter than the first season at fifteen episodes instead of the twenty-one episodes of season one. This is fine since the episodes of the second season are of high quality.
Grade: B
Cooter is the season two finale to 30 Rock. The episode is an unofficial season finale that was caused by the writer's strike. This episode ties many story lines in the running time. Jack Donaghy wants to leave a job in politics that he must do his best to get fired at. Liz Lemon is grappling with a pregnancy scare. Kenneth has a problem with a rival page. Tracy creates a pornographic video game.
Cooter is a surprisingly good season finale. It absolutely does feel rushed but it is able to assemble the storylines from the earlier episodes into a somewhat cohesive finale. I enjoyed the storylines a lot and it was incredibly satisfying to see it all get tied together. Jack Donaghy's story of trying to create a gay bomb is a great highlight in this episode.
I would recommend the season two finale "Cooter".
Grade: B
30 Rock Season Two
The second season of 30 Rock starts with the cast and crew of The Girly Show coming off of a summer hiatus. Much of the season's episodes do not support a long story arc. The episodes are often self-contained stories that can stand on their own. Some of the plot-lines in this season include Jack Donaghy dating a liberal Congresswoman named C.C. Tracy deals with problems in his marriage. Jenna must deal with her obesity problem.
The second season of 30 Rock feels more structured than the first season. Now that the audience knows the characters, the writing can be more wild and incorporate each of the characters better. There are a lot of highlight episodes here such as Jack Donaghy's falling for the liberal Congresswoman, Jack Donaghy competing with Devon Banks, Dennis Duffy being a local hero, and sandwich day. The writing as a whole is much improved over the first season even with the Writers Strike going on.
The season is much shorter than the first season at fifteen episodes instead of the twenty-one episodes of season one. This is fine since the episodes of the second season are of high quality.
Grade: B
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