I completely agree that this beloved series would be massively different without Krakowski (though I'd call her 1/5 of the show because I love me some Kenneth who, I think, is the principal you omitted from your "math")--not just because she plays the vein actress so brilliantly, but also because her musical talent became such an integral part of her character (Muffin Top! The Rural Juror! Jenna Is Listening! Chunk of My Lung! Mystic Pizza! I could go on) and, by extension, the show. I don't know that 30 Rock would have "sung" so much without Krakowski.
And here's where I'll take it a step farther. Had 30 Rock not included so much music, I don't know that we would have gotten Mean Girl: The Musical on Broadway, or at least Mean Girl as we know it. I'm sure many posters here would be just fine with that, but I happen to love the musical, especially Jeff Richmond's score. And I feel very safe venturing a guess that his work on 30 Rock--its breadth, variety, wit, and general catchiness--played a major role in convincing the powers that be that he, despite having never before written a Broadway musical, was up to the task and was not simply part of a Tina Fey package deal. |
