Liz tries to begin a relationship with a new tenant after accidentally receiving his mail. Meanwhile, Jack's appearance causes Elisa's grandmother to disapprove of the relationship, and Tracy has trouble maintaining the lifestyles of Wall Street frat boys.
Character escalation drives this 83-point episode with nearly five jokes per minute across 94 gags.
Directed by Todd Holland · Written by Robert Carlock
WAR
84.6
Wins Above Replacement
“Generalissimo” ranks #85 of 138 30 Rock episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 83.9 — Elite. The episode packs 94 scored jokes at 5.0 per minute, averaging 7.1 on craft and 6.7 on impact, with Liz landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Jack: He looks exactly like me.
Jack Setup/Punchline Visual Gag ★ Rewatch Liz: Opened her mail? That is just shocking. He's a monster.
Liz Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Jack: Play ball, or you'll be back doing R-rated hypnotism at bull fights so fast, you won't know what hit you.
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Liz · Drew: My dog ran away! Let me get my coat.
Liz Drew Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Drew: I don't know what that means.
Drew Deadpan/Understatement All Jokes — 94 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ intern: You know it, Lady Broseph!
intern Wordplay/Pun Absurdist ★ Rewatch Liz: Aren't they a little old, and over-dressed?
Jack: They're former investment bankers who were laid off after that economic crash that Nancy Pelosi caused.
Jack Irony/Sarcasm Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jack: They've got zero real-world skills, but god, they work hard.
intern: Soap and spanish magazines? What, are you expecting a visit from the...
intern Setup/Punchline Cringe/Discomfort Jack: Don't start unless you've got something.
Jack Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Liz: You should go there. They'd love you.
Liz: Women should not deliver the mail.
Liz Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Liz: He's a pediatrician, so you know he likes kids. Or feet. No, kids.
Liz Misdirection Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Liz: And he has a golf magazine, so you know he's not gay or poor.
Liz Observational Cringe/Discomfort Kenneth: That's a federal offense! And you already have 2 strikes.
Kenneth: Muppets Take Manhattan. Caddyshack. And a documentary about how pies are made.
Kenneth Character Comedy Observational tour guide: Only the special tours get to see Conan without his wig.
Elisa: I've had white boyfriends. Black, Cuban... Brazilian guys with German heritage...
Elisa Escalation Character Comedy Jack · Elisa: I get it. You've been with other men. Congratulations. Thank you.
Jack Elisa Deadpan/Understatement Awkward Silence ★ Rewatch Jack: He looks exactly like me.
Jack Setup/Punchline Visual Gag ★ Rewatch Elisa: He does look like you.
Brian: This honky grandma be trippin'.
Brian Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy intern · Tracy: When I quote lines from your movie, that's not racist? Of course not. I transcend race.
Tracy: You shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition at.
Tracy Wordplay/Pun Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Tracy: A yard, like a lawn? Yes, I have.
Tracy Wordplay/Pun Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Liz: He has an ice cream maker? Come on!
Liz Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Liz: Don't be weird-looking.
Oswald: I live in the basement, so I have all the nails.
Oswald Deadpan/Understatement Absurdist ★ Rewatch Drew: Sorry, I smell like frosting. I just love to bake.
Liz: I want to go to there.
Liz Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: Boy, I hope those two don't eventually have a showdown that pits family against justice.
Jack Meta/Self-Referential Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Elisa: As a child, my grandmother worked in a silver mine without proper ventilation. Now, her mind is squishy like a hacky sack.
Elisa Dark/Subversive Absurdist ★ Rewatch Elisa: Even though sometimes she comes at me with a knife because of a silver frenzy.
Elisa Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch Liz: Told him his haircut was exactly what I've been trying to describe to my barber. Smooth, I know. I'm way out of my league here.
Liz: He gets all of the movie channels, including Starz.
Liz: And... he trains seeing eye dogs at home.
Liz Character Comedy Escalation Kenneth: That's no good for you. You're allergic to dogs. Guess I'll have to step in then.
Kenneth Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Kenneth: He pulled an uncle Harland Parcell last night. Minus the wistful jug blowing.
Kenneth Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tracy: Have you ever tasted Scotch? It's terrible! And this thing they call 'box seats at the Rangers game,' it's so cold!
Tracy Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Tracy: And what is Rohypnol?
Tracy: So I shouldn't have taken two of them for my headache?
Tracy Escalation Dark/Subversive Brian · Tracy: Tonight, shooters at Blockheads, lay a base, meet up with my bro-hams at Cornell club? You know it, bri-man!
Tracy: I have no idea what either one of us just said.
Tracy Meta/Self-Referential Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Tracy: Here come the roofies. You can do whatever you want to me.
Tracy Dark/Subversive Callback Callback Liz: What? Come on, you're a nurse? Some of us are hot.
Liz Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Jenna: What? Come on, you're a nurse? Some of us are hot.
Jenna Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Liz: Boy, that guy looks a lot like you!
Liz: He just blew up that kid!
Liz Dark/Subversive Reaction Beat Jack · Elisa: her adorably broken english. Metrocards are a real thing. You use them on the subway.
Jack Elisa Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Liz: Opened her mail? That is just shocking. He's a monster.
Liz Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Liz: Or he has a really good reason to do it.
Liz Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Liz · Drew: My dog ran away! Let me get my coat.
Liz Drew Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Liz: If we don't, I don't think I could ever be around dogs again.
Liz Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Drew: I forgot I even had this on. I have so many charity t-shirts.
Drew Character Comedy Escalation Drew: I'm actually on the board of the Pediatric Restless Leg Syndrome Association. I forgot I even had this on. I have so many charity t-shirts.
Drew Character Comedy Absurdist Tracy: Shoot it, dog! I'm going to! I'm Tracy Jordan. Why would I be afraid of fire next to my mouth?
Tracy Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick Callback Jack: Wait, wait. What did he just say? That wasn't in the script.
Hector/Generalissimo: And now, this potion's gonna make me live forever.
Jack: Morena has gone broken arrow.
Jack: We really should have had somebody on the set who speaks Spanish.
Jack Irony/Sarcasm Deadpan/Understatement Hector: Do not try to out-generalissimo me, my friend.
Hector Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Hector: I get to cut the line at Disneyland, if I come mid-week.
Hector Deadpan/Understatement Absurdist ★ Rewatch Hector: I have a lucrative endorsement deal with Sabor de Soledad!
Hector Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: Play ball, or you'll be back doing R-rated hypnotism at bull fights so fast, you won't know what hit you.
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack · Hector: You can lose your mind!
Hector: I am super gay, and I would totally switch for her.
Hector Character Comedy Escalation Hector: Seduction is never impossible for El Generalissimo.
Hector · Jack: Like Julie Harris in The Belle of Amherst. You are surprisingly gay.
Hector Jack Character Comedy Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Kenneth: What did you not understand? That picture is from a dog food ad.
Elisa: I translated it, and took out the Star Wars references.
Elisa Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential Liz: Good. Don't listen to anyone who says you should become an actress.
Liz Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Elisa: He drugged her champagne and had his way with her.
Elisa: Later, she gave birth to the devil. You know, sweeps week.
Elisa Absurdist Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Liz: That's what I could do to Drew.
Liz Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Liz: But you haven't seen Dr. Baird. He looks like a cartoon pilot.
Liz Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Elisa: Be very careful. El Generalissimo was once a good man. But the years of loneliness drove him insane.
Elisa Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential Liz: I am not the Generalissimo.
Liz Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tracy: It's like I said in my not-hit comedy Cruise Boat, 'I'm getting too old for this ship.'
Tracy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Tracy: Do you know what happens to a comedian when he gets old and loses his audience? He starts to get offered serious roles.
Tracy Meta/Self-Referential Observational ★ Rewatch Tracy: And do you really want to see me play Arthur Ashe?
Tracy Character Comedy Absurdist Liz: The party's tomorrow night. Tonight, I'm just hanging out, eating fondue by candlelight.
Liz Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Drew: I guess one glass couldn't hurt.
Drew Callback Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Callback Elisa: I found your dog! He lost his collar, but I recognize him from the poster.
Drew: How could he not want to come back to this beautiful lady?
Liz: Let's get you back in your special kitchen cabinet.
Liz Absurdist Character Comedy Drew · Liz: That's not your dog. I can explain. Just relax.
Liz: I am the Generalissimo!
Liz Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Liz · Drew: I am the Generalissimo! I don't know what that means.
Liz Drew Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential Drew: I don't know what that means.
Drew Deadpan/Understatement Drew: I don't know what that means.
Drew Reaction Beat Deadpan/Understatement Drew: The word 'whom' deserves a defender.
Drew Character Comedy Observational Drew: Monthy Python, Live at the Hollywood Bowl. Classic.
Drew: The word 'whom' deserves a defender.
Drew · Liz: weirder things have happened, right? Isn't that Tracy Jordan?
Tracy · reporter: I'm doing this so no one will know I'm getting old. But you just told us you're old. This interview is over.
