I admit that this is another bit of a cheat since the series ended in January. Nonetheless, with the series' critically acclaimed finale this year, it's important to remember that along with hundreds of clever in-jokes, over-the-top characters, sometimes annoying callbacks, and several hilarious songs, 30 Rock gave us one of the most complicated and rewarding female friendships in recent television history. Liz Lemon, the perpetually stressed and high-strung head writer of TGS, and Jenna Maroney, her equally high-strung and narcissistic star, did not always get along. In fact, numerous episodes employed the plot point of Jenna's ridiculous tantrums disrupting Liz's life and sometimes halting production of TGS. We've seen Liz attempt to rationalize with Jenna behind a locked door with false compliments, Jenna completely ignore Liz ("You're not even listening, are you? Poop. Monkey butt."), both women attempt to sabotage one another, and over-inflate their influence in the other's lives. With a superficial viewing of the show, it would seem that Liz and Jenna's friendships is barely existent. But for all the arguments, lashing out, and the enormous differences between the two, these were two women who depended on one another. After all, not every friendship is pretty and 30 Rock gave us a tense, difficult, and ultimately rewarding friendship between two women who were dedicated to each other. It was obvious that Liz would do anything for Jenna: "Well, I coddle the crap out of you too. Your online fan club; that's me. ...And when you did that morning radio show the other week? Every caller was me!" Meanwhile, Jenna actually kept Liz's secrets and accepted all of her idiosyncrasies and neuroses without blinking an eye. And really, isn't that what we're all looking for in a friend?
Kerry is a writer, feminist, and obsessive horror, scifi, video games, comics, literature, and history geek. She spends way too much time online and drinks too much tea. Her personal fandom and feminist blog can be found here: http://fangirlingdaily.blogspot.com/.
