Parents' Guide to

30 Rock

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

SNL alums craft clever media satire.

TV NBC Comedy 2006
30 Rock Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 12 parent reviews

LaszloB477
LaszloB477 Adult
June 2, 2020
age 13+

Witty, funny and warm - this Tina Fey workplace sitcom is one of the best out there.

Great show, fabulous cast. A fair amount of sexual innuendo and light drinking, but that’s it. Truly a fantastic show.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
EmmaLee113
EmmaLee113 Adult
May 13, 2016
age 13+

Fantastic show, absolutely hilarious

A few iffy jokes here and there but overall a wonderful show with a main character who portrays great moral standing! My teens of all ages are allowed to watch this show- I highly encourage them to do so! There's no better comedy material out there.
See all 12 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Created by Saturday Night Live alum Tina Fey and co-produced by SNL's Lorne Michaels, 30 ROCK takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes tour of a spoofed version of network TV. The show centers on Liz Lemon (Fey), who's the head writer of the fictitious variety program The Girlie Show, which stars her best friend, Jenna (Jane Krakowski). But the unexpected death of Liz's boss and the entrance of his condescending replacement, Jack (Alec Baldwin, who's won awards for the role), sends her into a tailspin. At Jack's insistence, Liz hires arrogant, unpredictable movie icon Tracy Jordan (SNL's Tracy Morgan) to perk up the cast ... and, hopefully, the ratings. As extreme personalities clash and egos swell, Liz must find a way to maintain her sanity among her motley crew of co-workers.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (12):
Kids say (33):

30 Rock (which gets its title from the nickname of the building that houses NBC's studios in New York City) brings together a great cast -- rounded out by Scott Adsit, Jack McBrayer, and Judah Friedlander -- that expertly delivers the show's off-the-wall humor. Sharp writing backs up their strong performances and encourages viewers to ponder the agendas of the network TV executives who call the shots.

One particularly funny aspect of the show is its satirical take on network TV in particular and conglomerate business in general. As a head honcho at NBC-GE-Universal-Kmart (a business with its hand in every cookie jar?), Jack clearly enjoys making decisions based on whim and expounding on personal mantras, to his subordinates' great confusion. No doubt many adult viewers will enjoy the chance to chuckle knowingly at such a boss. Sexual humor, questionable language, and casual drinking are constants on 30 Rock; parents may want to join their teens for this one so that they can discuss the adult themes that pop up.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the media shapes our views. Who decides what we see on TV? Why are some shows green-lit and others not? What makes TV shows successful? What types of shows are popular today? What does that say about our society? Why do classic TV shows (Happy Days, I Love Lucy) seem so innocent today? Was society more genteel back then, or did the networks just candy-coat what viewers saw?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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