30 Rock, the sitcom that seemed like it would never even last a full season, somehow made it through seven, and wrapped up in May with a finale that both overcame some weaker later seasons and ended the story in an appropriately hilarious, surreal way. Now Tina Fey is free from the daily grind of TV production and off doing things like palling around with Muppets and Jason Bateman. But if you predicted she wouldn't be able to stay away from TV for long, you've won your office pool today. Deadline reports that Fey has already returned to NBC, teaming up with former 30 Rock show runner Robert Carlock to produce a new workplace comedy, once again focusing on a female lead.
Instead of happening in the middle of Manhattan, though, this show will be set on Fire Island, the beachside resort community popular with many New Yorkers and famous as a gay destination. The heroine of Fey and Carlock's untitled new show will "find a new home and family on Fire Island" while making an effort to reconnect with her father-- word is that the show is in the vein of Cheers, which could suggest something a little cuddlier and character-driven than the zany 30 Rock. Fey and Carlock will serve as executive producers, while Colleen McGuinness-- another 30 Rock veteran-- actually created the show. It's unclear if Fey might have a role acting on the show or get more involved in the day-to-day production. It will be nearly a year before we find out if the network even picks up the pilot, though, so Fey's return to television is far from confirmed either way.
30 Rock will have one last hurrah at the Emmy Awards next month-- and could easily win a big farewell Best Comedy statue-- but after that the show will only live on in fond memories and endless, endless re-runs in syndication. Can a new show from Tina Fey help us move on from our 30 Rock nostalgia? Or will it be impossible for the new show to live up to the legacy that Fey created. With that shadow in mind, I'm betting Fey isn't nearly as involved in this new venture as we might hope she'd be. Shepherd new talent, but let it stand on its own-- and if this new show is a fraction as interesting and inventive as 30 Rock was, it will be in good shape either way.
And now, some bloopers from season one of 30 Rock, just to celebrate everything we miss.
