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Professional writer Robert Canning (AKA "Bob Canning") reviews 30 Rock for IGN by I need clarification 12/20/2006, 5:21pm PST
When I was single, I was the worst kind of friend. I insisted on calling you up and telling you about all the TV I'd watched (or radio I'd listened to) that night, including ridiculous amounts of backstory and plot just to get to one dumb joke that I'd horribly mangle, and then I'd get pissed that you didn't laugh. And then I'd repeat it, since you're so fucking SLOW. Then I'd laugh at it, just so you'd realize what a fucking moron you are for not getting it. Caller ID was invented to prevent me doing this right in my heyday, but then I discovered the exploit which was to just wait until school the next day when I could act out the whole joke in person.

That paragraph kind of veered toward my K-12 years, but in actuality this continued up until I got married. I sometimes still pull the routine out of the Olde Time Vaudevilley Steamer Trunk, just because it delights my wife so. What I didn't realize at the time is that this actually a full-time job you can go to college to learn to do and everything, and sure enough someone will pay you to do it.

All the proof I need (PAL) is right here on the IGN Television website. The page I linked to there is their review of 30 Rock, the hit(?) sitcom on NBC. Acutally, it's a review of A SPECIFIC EPISODE of 30 Rock. Unlike cranky old movie reviewers, stuck in the horrible past where they have to watch the movies and comment on them before they come out, this new rockin'-out school of reviewing is all about critiquing shows that have already aired. For added dramatic effect, Robert "Mr. Bob Dobalina" Canning adopts a plural speaking voice. It's fucking royal, man.

'Vinny' Bob-arino of Cannington wrote:

December 8, 2006 - We couldn't have been more excited for the latest episode of 30 Rock. The show has been on an aggressive upswing since its premiere, and this week's installment boasted a guest appearance from none other than late-night comedy king Conan O'Brien. The thought of Alec Baldwin's funny-as-hell Jack Donaghy facing off in a comedic repartee with Mr. O'Brien made us giddy with excitement.

Oh, yes, yes, yes!

Bob 'The Can-Man' Canning wrote:

But it may have been that our expectations were raised far too high, because "Tracy Does Conan" failed to deliver the comic gold we were hoping for.

FUCK!!

I'll have to make sure I didn't watch that episode a week ago. Three years from now, when the first season is out on DVD, I'll know to buy everything EXCEPT for that episode.

Further investigation reveals that IGN TV is full of reviews of episodes of TV shows. Family Guy, Simpsons... you name it, someone there is watching and waiting to tell you all about it. FSBT says they're professional forum posters, but they take it a step further by giving each episode numerical scores, then helpfully explaining:

IGN TV wrote:

OVERALL (out of 10 / not an average)

What they don't say is whether the scale is the same for all shows, or just compared to the overall scale of ALL episodes (so far) of the show they're reviewing. And if it's the latter, doesn't that make the slope a little slippery? I'm not accusing them of corruption or even willful negligence, I'm just saying if you're going to review episodes of TV shows after anyone remotely interested in watching them already has, there's a right way to do it and a wrong way. Now that we've all seen the IGN way and agreed that it's the wrong way, I'm here to let you know it's the wrong way, IGN-style.

I give it a 4.5 (out of 13/not an average).

Ray liked this part best:

Bob 'I'm Doing All I Can' Canning wrote:

But by far, the most disappointing aspect of this episode was that Conan O'Brien simply wasn't used to his potential. Conan was supposed to be playing himself, but it felt more like he was playing the role of a late night talk show host.

Oh, Conan, we thought we knew the real ye.
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Professional writer Robert Canning (AKA "Bob Canning") reviews 30 Rock for IGN by I need clarification 12/20/2006, 5:21pm PST NEW
    My review of INC's review of Robert Canning's review of 30 Rock by Jerry Whorebach 10/03/2007, 6:26am PDT NEW
        ^^^ How about a spoiler alert next time???! NT by Last 10/03/2007, 1:52pm PDT NEW
 
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