The VERY Weird Version of 30 Rock You Never Saw

When Tina Fey first set out to create 30 Rock after her highly successful run on Saturday Night Live, it seemed the pilot was doomed to fail. The one thing that stood out was the casting of Jenna. The original 30 Rock pilot had a completely different actress in the role of Jenna. After pivoting towards a more sitcom oriented actress 30 Rock was given the green light, and the rest is history.

#30rock #nbc #nerdstalgic

SOURCES:

[trinaq]

Rachel Dratch is hilarious, but I'm glad that Jane Krakowski ultimately played Jenna, since her more theatrical approach suited the show's tone more. At least Rachel still showed up in 16 episodes.

[fireflyeclipse]

Jane was the better choice for the role simply because she was wildly different from Liz Lemon. Rachel’s version was just too close to how Liz was. Plus Jane’s antics raised the energy of the show and I truly believe she makes every show she’s in become more and more insane just from everyone else trying to match that energy and I love it.

[BenRobinson]

Jane Krakowski as Jenna is one of the very best TV characters of all time.

[vertiac]

In one of the later seasons while she and Jenna are having a fight Liz goes out and finds a new best friend: a woman who's just like her. But she ends up realizing that they're to similar to get along, that she needs the dynamic of someone who's her opposite. If they had used Rachel Dratch for the other Liz role in that episode it would have been a very self aware moment for the show.

[kyterunner]

This type of thing happens quite a bit. The change was better for the show in two ways: first, Jane killed IN HER WAY. She didn't replace Rachel. She created Jenna. Second, we got to see Rachel do what she does best...steal every scene that she was in. That's a tough thing to do and keep up for seven seasons. They made the right move for the show, Jane, and Rachel.

[dubyaw]

If you rewatch season 1 of 30 rock, you will be surprised by how normal even the Jane version of Jenna is compares to later seasons.

[burekevan]

This is so cool to see - I think Rachel Dratch was ultimately too close to reality of Tina Fey's life that inspired the show while Krakowski takes the character/show into the bizarre and wacky larger than life world of television. a similar arc to the show itself when you compare the relatively mundane early episodes to the surreal type high jinks they get into later on

[biocapsule]

Definitely true, seeing Dratch's character humiliated wouldn't sit well with people, where as Krakowski Jenna practically paints a target for jokes. I like Dratch's role in 30 Rock but the jokes that lands on Krakowski Jenna would not land on Dratch's Jenna. And Krakowski's type of Diva 'crazy' would only work on a blonde bombshell.

[HenrikAskestad]

I still look up Rachel Dratch as Barabra Walters several times a year.

"Flurg murg glurg flurg murg murg murg tennis murg murg."

[audreyyippie]

I'm just happy 30 rock is still getting recognition in 2023, I miss it so much.

[Rampala]

Oh wow. I do love Rachel Dratch, she's extremely talented, but Jane was so perfect for Jenna. They definitely needed that kind of energy to bounce off Liz and Tracy.

[skyfrostthunderrock]

idk if RD could've delivered, "Listen up 5's, a 10 is talking!" quite the same way JK did. The extreme self-ego just isn't there.

[bronaghisgay]

I can't imagine "Muffin Top" or "Rural Juror" or the summer dance hit "Balls" would exist if Jane Krakowski never got the role of Jenna, and for that, I am thankful for the recast.

[ethanpschwartz]

A long time ago, I actually got to see the full original pilot and Tina Fey's remark in her book really sums up the experience. Rachel Dratch is, of course, great in the role, but the magic of Jane Krakowski's Jenna (and a tighter production) really set the tone for an amazing sitcom.

[angryspork]

So Dratch was replaced for her initial role, but returned as multiple different characters.
It's like she was haunting the show.

[JayFolipurba]

30 Rock was a phenomenon. It could only have existed at the time that it did, in the place and context that it did. There will never be anything else quite like it, although the format has pioneered many great shows. And something like this can never quite happen again, because TV is dead

[clavenmd]

my old roommate was an editor & contributor for the USA Today, and she was given an advance DVD of the pilot to review. We watched the pilots for The Black Donnellys, Studio 60, 30 Rock, etc..., a couple other shows that didn't make it. My comment to my roommate was that it seemed as though the roles should have been reversed - Dratch could have been Liz and Fey should have been Jenna. Tina Fey just looked more like a Hollywood star than Rachel Dratch, and Dratch seemed more like the competent person running the show than a Hollywood bimbo.

NBC did this recasting right.

[marcedwards]

I always feel bad for those who are dropped early from successful shows. I guess the alternative reality where they aren’t replaced might have ended in series cancellation in any event. Dratch is great and I’m always keen to see her in other things, but Krakowski was amazing in 30 Rock and can’t imagine the show without her.
Good video

[thatRyzzle]

I liked Krakowski's character and portrayel of that character, so ultimately I'm happy they switched. But I wish they stuck to the gimmick of having Dratch play multiple characters throughout the entire show. I think that could have worked nicely, seeing as there are so many side characters coming in and then going out again. But what do I know? Maybe Dratch didn't want to do that for more than the mentioned 16 episodes?

[k_]

30 rock is one of the best comedy tv shows ever made. imo arrested development and 30rock are at the top of the mountain and nothing can touch them