30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
01-23-10 | 08:50 PM
#26
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From: Southside Virginia
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
30 Rock isn't shot as a mockumentary, so your criticism here doesn't apply to this show.
30 Rock is actually closer to Newsradio in terms of it's style. It's just a wacky farce, but shot with one camera and no laugh track instead of with three cameras and a studio audience.
30 Rock is actually closer to Newsradio in terms of it's style. It's just a wacky farce, but shot with one camera and no laugh track instead of with three cameras and a studio audience.
ETA: Liz is also equal parts Lisa Miller and Dave Nelson. Liz doesn't quite equal either of them, though.
01-23-10 | 08:52 PM
#27
DVD Talk Legend
Jay
01-23-10 | 08:54 PM
#28
DVD Talk Legend
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
I think Newsradio is closer to Green Acres than 30 Rock is, but the two of you are on the right track as far as I'm concerned. 30 Rock is sort of like the one camera sketch comedy show instead of news radio station version of Newsradio. Jack is equal parts Bill McNeal and Jimmy James, which is probably what honestly makes him cooler than both of those great characters.
ETA: Liz is also equal parts Lisa Miller and Dave Nelson. Liz doesn't quite equal either of them, though.
ETA: Liz is also equal parts Lisa Miller and Dave Nelson. Liz doesn't quite equal either of them, though.
01-23-10 | 09:48 PM
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From: Under a dead Ohio sky
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
Maybe it's just the style. I detest The Office. Have tried to watch it, but just find the routine of- say something outrageous, realize the camera is there, say something awkward to try to cover it up, make situation worse, blink into the camera a couple times, long pause, cut to next scene... totally tired. Same goes for "Modern Family". It's just The Office in a house. That detached, documentary style just doesn't work for me in a TV show. Works for Christopher Guest movies for some reason.. but if I'm going to spend a part of every week with a cast of characters, I need to want to watch them and care about them.
Entourage and Californication are also not "Friends", but they suck you in and involve you with the characters.
Entourage and Californication are also not "Friends", but they suck you in and involve you with the characters.
Sounds like your just not a fan of Farce comedy.
01-24-10 | 06:47 AM
#32
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01-24-10 | 04:52 PM
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From: Cincinnati, OH
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
http://www.nbc.com/30-rock/games/jacks-office/
You can actually play it and find out here. I dunno if you would have been able to find them all if you had the still from the show.
You can actually play it and find out here. I dunno if you would have been able to find them all if you had the still from the show.
Last edited by tofu; 01-24-10 at 04:54 PM.
01-24-10 | 05:13 PM
#36
DVD Talk Legend
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
http://www.nbc.com/30-rock/games/jacks-office/
You can actually play it and find out here. I dunno if you would have been able to find them all if you had the still from the show.
You can actually play it and find out here. I dunno if you would have been able to find them all if you had the still from the show.
Also, the photos they use for the game show that Jack's TV has 4 x's taped to the corners of the screen. These are presumably for digitally inserting video onto the screen, and are removed in post.
01-25-10 | 03:21 AM
#39
DVD Talk Hero
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
This show was ok but "Black Light Attack!" from last week was better.
I hope they dump Julianne Moore. She is not funny and a bore to watch.
I hope they dump Julianne Moore. She is not funny and a bore to watch.
01-25-10 | 12:37 PM
#40
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
Maybe it's just the style. I detest The Office. Have tried to watch it, but just find the routine of- say something outrageous, realize the camera is there, say something awkward to try to cover it up, make situation worse, blink into the camera a couple times, long pause, cut to next scene... totally tired. Same goes for "Modern Family". It's just The Office in a house. That detached, documentary style just doesn't work for me in a TV show. Works for Christopher Guest movies for some reason.. but if I'm going to spend a part of every week with a cast of characters, I need to want to watch them and care about them.
Entourage and Californication are also not "Friends", but they suck you in and involve you with the characters.
Entourage and Californication are also not "Friends", but they suck you in and involve you with the characters.
I think if we ever met, the universe would collapse.
Last edited by Fanboy; 01-25-10 at 12:42 PM.
01-25-10 | 05:26 PM
#41
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
It's simple. Entourage is not a mockumentary. My contention is mockumentaries work for a film, but in a TV show the characters are supposed to become part of your life, in a way, and the mockumentary style (aside from being overdone) puts way too much distance between the characters (who usually are very broad and unrealistic in mockumentaries) an the audience.
01-25-10 | 05:28 PM
#42
DVD Talk Legend
01-25-10 | 07:30 PM
#44
DVD Talk Hero
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
I don't get a mockumentary vibe from anything in the show. It's a standard broad comedy, sure they make occasional address the cameras but it doesn't come off at all like it's pretending to be a documentary, in either the camera work nor editing, nor lighting, nor style.
But to each their own.
But to each their own.
01-25-10 | 11:03 PM
#46
DVD Talk Legend
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
You mean, this style?
Because that doesn't fit 30 Rock at all.
30 Rock is much faster paced then that description, and hardly ever uses long pauses.
30 Rock is much faster paced then that description, and hardly ever uses long pauses.
01-25-10 | 11:54 PM
#47
DVD Talk Legend
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
30 Rock is not a mockumentary.
There are three things that distinguish the mockumentary format from all other single camera shows.
Mocks DO NOT use non-diagetic music cues on the soundtrack.
Mocks include interview segments with the characters.
In Mocks the characters routinely acknowledge the presence of the camera and let the viewer know that they know they are being filmed. This increases the dramatic or comedic power of scenes in which the characters are "secretly observed" by the camera.
There are three things that distinguish the mockumentary format from all other single camera shows.
Mocks DO NOT use non-diagetic music cues on the soundtrack.
Mocks include interview segments with the characters.
In Mocks the characters routinely acknowledge the presence of the camera and let the viewer know that they know they are being filmed. This increases the dramatic or comedic power of scenes in which the characters are "secretly observed" by the camera.
01-26-10 | 12:11 AM
#48
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Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
I can only assume that he is incorrectly lumping together all single-camera shows as "mockumentaries". To my knowledge, the only ones that fit this category are The Office (both UK and US versions), Parks and Recreation, and Arrested Development (with a docu-style narrator).
01-26-10 | 12:32 AM
#49
DVD Talk Legend
Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
I feel like what he meant to say was that he doesn't like single-camera format shows, specifically the ones on the NBC Thu night lineup which rely a lot on running jokes, Simpsons-style "blink and you'll miss it" sight gags, and quick timing with almost no lag between the (not immediately obvious) punchline and the next setup.
I can only assume that he is incorrectly lumping together all single-camera shows as "mockumentaries". To my knowledge, the only ones that fit this category are The Office (both UK and US versions), Parks and Recreation, and Arrested Development (with a docu-style narrator).
I can only assume that he is incorrectly lumping together all single-camera shows as "mockumentaries". To my knowledge, the only ones that fit this category are The Office (both UK and US versions), Parks and Recreation, and Arrested Development (with a docu-style narrator).
Modern Family is done mockumentary style.
01-26-10 | 12:43 AM
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Re: 30 Rock -- "Winter Madness" -- 01/21/10
One could argue that it was. I know it doesn't have the interviews, but it does have the third-party narrator, right? FWIW, Wiki also says it was done in a "pseudo-documentary" format.
Thanks, been meaning to check that one out, just haven't had the time.
Thanks, been meaning to check that one out, just haven't had the time.