’30 Rock’ Returning For A One-Hour Revival Special On NBC
30 Rock is returning to NBC for a special one-hour revival that will also double as an upfront presentation for the NBCUniversal family of networks, TVLine confirmed on Tuesday.
According to the article, fans can expect to see Jane Krakowski, Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Jack McBrayer, and Alec Baldwin reprise their original roles. It is not yet clear if any other cast members will return.
TVLine stated that the special would be “commercial-free” and “shot remotely.”
It will also “feature guest appearances from stars from across the NBCUniversal family and will highlight new and returning programming from NBC, USA, Syfy, E!, Bravo, and more.”
The article does not go into more detail about whether the special will be scripted or unscripted, or what it might feature.
However, since it is meant to function as an “upfront event,” it is likely that cast members will tease and reveal upcoming television shows from the various networks referenced above. There may also be promotional material from NBC’s new streaming service, Peacock.
30 Rock is the latest in a long line of television shows that have created revival episodes to help fans cope with the long quarantine period amid the coronavirus pandemic. NBC also hosted a Parks and Recreation reunion not too long ago.
The Tina Fey-helmed sitcom ran for seven seasons on NBC from October 2006 to July 2013. Fey was inspired by her real-life experience working as the head writer for Saturday Night Live for many years and used that as fodder for the satirical series.
It won numerous awards during its lengthy run, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series three years in a row.
Dozens of fans took to social media to express their excitement over the show’s return. A few people theorized that if the event performs well, NBC could potentially green light an official new season of 30 Rock moving forward. Several people gushed that the revival announcement was some much-needed “good news,” in the wake of many negative news stories.
Others wondered if The Office could be next in line for a revival since both 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation have had one now.
The hour-long event is scheduled to air on Thursday, July 16, at 8 p.m. EDT. For those that miss out on the live viewing, it will air again on the other NBCUniversal networks such as Bravo, Oxygen, and Syfy at a later date. The revival is also set to debut on Peacock beginning on July 17 at 9 p.m.
