NBC just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to their successful sitcoms. Steve Carrell has announced that he’ll be leaving The Office at the end of the upcoming season. Now, Alec Baldwin has reaffirmed that he won’t be renewing his 30 Rock contract.
Baldwin has made rumblings about leaving the sitcom in the past but seems to be sticking to it. Yesterday, he told CNN that he plans to quit acting to pursue a “normal life.” The actor would like to have a private life and do other things. He feels that’s just not possible as a celebrity.
The actor’s 30 Rock contract expires in 2012 so, unless something changes, it sounds like season six will be Baldwin’s last.
It’s hard to say if the sitcom could successfully continue without him but, unless NBC finds some hit shows in the next couple years, the network will likely try.
What do you think? Would 30 Rock be worth watching without Alec Baldwin’s egotistical Jack Donaghy? Do you think he’ll really leave?
Newer and/or Related Articles
-
30 Rock: Ratings for the 2011-2012 TV Season
Feb 11, 2012 -
NBC Announces 2011-12 Mid-season Schedule
Nov 15, 2011 -
30 Rock: NBC Sitcom Won’t End Because of Alec Baldwin
Aug 3, 2011 -
Cancelled or Renewed NBC TV Shows — updated 07/11
Jul 1, 2011 -
NBC Announces 2010-11 Season Finale Dates
Mar 8, 2011 -
30 Rock: NBC Renews Sitcom for Season Six
Nov 15, 2010 -
2009-10 Cancelled or Ended TV Shows Nominated for Emmy Awards
Jul 9, 2010 -
First Look at NBC’s 2010-11 Fall Schedule
May 16, 2010 -
Cancelled & Returning NBC TV Shows from the 2009-10 Season
May 16, 2010 -
Community, The Office and 30 Rock Renewed by NBC
Mar 6, 2010 -
Parks and Recreation: Season Three for NBC Sitcom; What About Community?
Jan 30, 2010 -
2008 – 2009 Cancelled TV Shows: 25 NBC Series That Won’t Be Back for 2009 – 2010
May 20, 2009 -
2008 – 2009 Cancelled Shows: NBC Officially Announces Series Renewals and Pick Ups
May 4, 2009 -
2008 – 2009 Cancelled Shows: Update on NBC Renewals and Cancellations
May 3, 2009 -
30 Rock
Oct 28, 2008 -
NBC Announces Their 2008-09 Schedule. Who’s In and Who’s Out?
Apr 2, 2008 -
Friday Night Lights: Silverman Has Doubts About Show’s Future
Feb 4, 2008 -
Seinfeld: A New Solution for NBC’s Ratings Woes?
Sep 25, 2007
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Alec has become a central part of the show, however I believe 30 Rock can go on without him if another name actor can be found to take up the slack and the scripts center on the other main characters for awhile.
I dont know about that, whenever a centra character leaves the show suffers a loss. if jane lynch left glee it wouldn’t be watchable. Look what happened to Scrubs after Zach Braff left.
Well I think they should end it after Alec leaves personally. Unlike The Office where if Steve left 30 rock has less essiential chacters than The Office. The Office could still go on after Steve leaves I think but not the same result if Alec leaves 30 rock. If My name is Earl was still on it would be like Randy dissapearing. Thats just me, but on the other hand 30 rock has potential to be real great and if its only on for 6 seasons, its not like gonna be as memorable as like Friends or Two and a half men.
The show could go on, but it will dramatically change. Baldwin is comic gold so his leaving will affect the show. However, there are several funny people still on the show, and a good replacement for Baldwin could keep the show going. Too bad Steve Martin was already used in an episode. He could make a good GE boss.
This is kind of upsetting, 30 Rock and The Office are two of my favorite sitcoms on TV. They could never pull off replacing Carell on The Office, simply because he is The Office and people mainly watch it for him and the crazy things he does. I do think they could get away with replacing Baldwin with someone else, because he is not Michael Scott. Every character on 30 Rock does the most outrageously hilarious things, because it plays on that fine line between “realistic” joking and plain “who cares if its realistic” joking. The only thing is that if they were to replace Baldwin, I think they need to introduce the character by the end of season 5 and have them with the show for all of season 6. So that way if people do not like that character in the episodes up to the winter hiatus they can wrap up the show to end properly in season six’s finale.
The replacement would have to be someone that is a well-known and well-liked actor, that is good with comedy. Or even better, they could have a female version of Baldwin’s character to come in. I am not saying that I dislike Baldwin, I really like him as an actor, I just feel that he is replaceable if necessary and 30 Rock could go on without him (for at least 2 seasons).
To those of you pointing out the failed replacements of leads or supporting leads in a TV series, look at when Spin City replaced Michael J. Fox with Charlie Sheen (granted Fox’s illness was preventing him to do his work, god bless him). The show still did good and went on for 3 seasons with Sheen as the new lead.
FYI: Tina Fey’s Liz Lemon is the lead of 30 Rock and Steve Carell’s Michael Scott is the lead (although you could say in recent seasons one of the leads) of The Office, Alec Baldwin is merely a supporting lead that is there for the lead character. So comparing him leaving 30 Rock to Zach Braff leaving Scrubs is nowhere near the same thing.
{ 1 trackback }