MovieChat Forums > 30 Rock (2006) Discussion > Tracy Morgan is highly underrated on thi...

Tracy Morgan is highly underrated on this website...

posted 11 years ago by schnapster31
12 replies | jump to latest

I have been a fan of this show for several years now. I never really watched it on NBC, but with it on Netflix, I binged on it over a month and found it to be genius in every conceivable way. The writing is superb, the direction impeccable, and the acting some of the most brilliantly comedic that I have ever seen (I'd single out specifics but all do so incredibly that it feels unfair to choose any particular actor. My personal favorites are Tina and Alec, but they are all so great).

On that note, I feel almost obligated to mention that Tracy Morgan is so f$%^^% funny on 30 Rock that he kills me every damn time. And I think he gets way too much negative commentary around here. His character is hilariously acted by Morgan (named "Jordan" in one of many genuinely creative comedic decisions involved with this show). His behavior constantly leads you to believe that he must be completely moronic, and yet he always demonstrates not just surprising intellectual competence, but outright brilliance. He sounds dumb but he's actually very smart and deep.

Tracy Morgan does an incredible job portraying this character.

I'd say that "Tracy may be just playing himself" but I don't know Tracy Morgan. Obviously. So how would I know what he is like in real life? I assume he's a regular person like everyone else (possessing of positive and negative characteristics).

--It always bothers me when people assume how actors must be in "real-life" as opposed to characters they have played.--

Anyway, because I feel the need (and am enjoying watching "30 Rock" right now, as I type), I am expressing my genuine opinion:

Tracy Morgan is f&ck#ng brilliant on this show that is brilliant.

[–] wab-3 11 years ago

Good for you...but you're totally wrong. Tracy really did suck for far too long on 30 Rock.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] Piperson 10 years ago

I agree with the OP. Maybe it is something only binge-watchers can understand but he is the only character who says crazy/stupid things that are funny.

Jenna and Kenneth say stupid/horrible things sometimes four or five in a row, that aren't funny and just make you wonder what the writers were thinking. Anyone can drop a single clinker, but with Kenneth and Jenna and that awful Kabletown boss, the clinkers just go on and on. With Tracy, the crazy is part of his charm and seems believable.

That is why I like him: because he seems so real. I wouldn't want to know him (or Kenneth or Jenna) but I believe in him. Whereas the characters of Jenna and Kenneth are complete caricatures who I neither believe in or care about.

[–] wab-3 10 years ago

No, there's no reason why binge-watching would make a difference. Those of us who watched the show when it originally aired were well aware of how bad Morgan's acting was in the first five seasons.

[–] Mikrili 10 years ago

No those of us who watched the show when it originally aired find him hilarious almost in every scene.
I don't know why you are so hung up on his "bad acting" (I've seen you comment on this in several posts). You don't like him or find him funny: that's fine, but that doesn't mean his acting on the show is bad. Is Tracy Morgan a great actor? No. Is his acting bad on 30 Rock? I don't think so.

I think he is good in this show, and I really don't care that he is not Meryl Streep. Which frankly, on this show, only Alec Baldwin is (at least of the regulars). But I find all the regulars funny and good comedic actors. I guess that's good for me since I imagine I can enjoy the show more if TM doesn't bother me.

[–] wab-3 10 years ago

You don't like him or find him funny: that's fine, but that doesn't mean his acting on the show is bad.

Oh no, if I say that Morgan's acting is objectively bad, it is. I'm a professional director with the experience to evaluate actors. In the first 4 seasons of the show Tracy Morgan's technique is way, way off. He chews his lines, he's flat on his takes, he doesn't engage his scene partners, etc. That's rookie-level bad acting. You just don't have the professional training to spot his awful craft.

Even other people in the 30 Rock cast, like Tina and Alec, have made fun of how inept Morgan's acting was on the show.

[–] Mikrili 10 years ago

My point is it doesn't matter. The show is not made for "professional directors". And I think he's so called bad acting fits the character. I am fully aware of the fact that he isn't a trained actor (even though I am not a professional director) but it fits the character and it is funny in this role. And the whole point of this show is to be funny, not win acting awards.

[–] wab-3 10 years ago

Oh no, still wrong. Morgan killed laughs with his bad acting. He stepped on his own lines, and those of others. He reacted blankly to his scene-partner's takes, killing their laughs. In fact, his own real bad acting ruined a lot of laughs he would have gotten for his pretend bad acting...which was lot less common than you think. I can tell when Morgan was making an acting choice and when he just blew his cues due to not knowing his lines. You can't.

That's why the opinion of a professional actually does matter, because I know how to get people to laugh at comedy. Like getting basic acting techniques right.

Craft makes all the difference in the world. You just don't understand what you're missing because you're audience, not a trained performer.

[–] samkaysam 10 years ago

I'm actually an academy award winning director. Therefore I outrank you. Unless you've won, in which case I'd like to pint out I'm a multi-award winner. And therefore have the right and rank to tell you, you seem to be particularly full of ... something. Did Tracy touch you in your no-no place? Show us on the doll where he touched you.

[–] Trigonometric 10 years ago

lol

What about the forests?...... NOPE!

[–] MarkAntney 10 years ago

And we have a Winnnahhhh!!!

[–] 10 years ago

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