Great News, A Stand-In For 30 Rock Fans

Photo Credit: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC | 2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

We’re all doing our part by staying in doors to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. But staying at home doesn’t necessarily have to be a boring affair. That’s because it’s the perfect time to binge watch movies and TV series that we never had the time do so before. But where do we start?

Well, if you are a Netflix user, and a fan of the comedy series 30 Rock, we’ve got a show that should keep you entertained for hours. The NBC TV Series Great News, created by Tracey Wigfield, uses the same dysfunctional chemistry that binds a group of misfits manning a cable network company.

The show revolves around the main character, Katie Windelson played by Briga Heelan as an aspiring journalist who hungers for recognition within her team. Constantly tasked with producing meaningless stories by her executive producer, Windelson constantly struggles with the reality of this fact, which leads to her being at loggerheads with said superior.

Evans Vestal Ward/NBC | 2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

What exacerbates this situation is the fact that her mother, Carol Winderlson played by Andrea Martin, chooses to embark on her own career after spending 30 years as a stay-at-home mom. Ironically, she chooses to join MMN, the factious cable news network, which her daughter works for.

The constant struggle of trying to distance herself from her overbearing and overprotective mother offers the kind of light-hearted humor that many of us can relate to. That and the constant use of familiar meta-humor allows Great News to be a pretty entertaining show.

Several aspects of the show draw inspiration from comedies like 30 Rock. This isn’t a surprise considering that Tina Fey, creator and a star on 30 Rock, also happens to be one of the Executive Producers of Great News. Fey also stars in several episodes in the series as the boss of MMN.

Then there’s Chuck Pierce played by John Michael Higgins, a washed out news anchor, who’s constant insecurities, lead to him and co-anchor Portia Scott to intense and misogynistic arguments. This dynamic inadvertently portrays the disconnect between the baby-boomer generation and that of millennials.

Photo Credit: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC | 2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

The rest of the team aren’t that better off either, each being more dysfunctional than the next. But day in and day out, for reasons that are beyond logic, MMN is able to produce and air their news program, The Breakdown with a relative amount of success. This is partially made possible by Greg Walsh played by Adam Campbell, the glue that holds them together and the show’s executive producer.

Heelan’s portrayal of a high-strung over-achieving millennial who aspires for greatness and to be a role model to young girls, is quite convincing. The eccentric bond with her mother references a familiar yet imperfect relationship of overbearing parents and their children’s refusal to grow up.

Unlike the success enjoyed by the critically acclaimed, 30 Rock (7 seasons), Great News only made it to two seasons before being cancelled in 2018. The show might not be for everyone, but to those who can relate to the show, it can offer several hours of laughter and uninterrupted entertainment.