Liz and Tracy encourage Jack to search for his real father. Tracy meets his new found illegitimate son, but Liz and Pete question the son's intentions. Jenna takes the credit for one of Liz's ideas.
Dark subversive comedy drives Season 3's sharpest episode at 82.5, anchored by absurdist character work.
Directed by Don Scardino · Written by Ron Weiner
WAR
53.6
Wins Above Replacement
“Mamma Mia” ranks #101 of 138 30 Rock episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 82.5 — Elite. The episode packs 52 scored jokes at 2.7 per minute, averaging 7.2 on craft and 6.8 on impact, with Tracy landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Jack: Jack wants to whisper something cutting in his mother's ear while she's dying
Jack Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: Jack's dark definition of family: 'Resentment, guilt, Easter egg hunts that turn into knife fights'
Jack Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch Milton: 'The Greens are very sharp right up until the end, which makes the end more terrifying. My father died screaming'
Milton Dark/Subversive Escalation Milton: Milton's immediate request after the father-son reunion: 'I need a kidney transplant'
Milton Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch Kenneth: Kenneth's casual mention of trying to steal his dead neighbor's identity because 'sometimes things get overwhelming' and he might need to 'get in the car and drive away'
Kenneth Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 52 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Jack · Liz: Jack mentions Liz's memo about including more catchphrases, then delivers an absurd example about leaving in boxers and returning in briefs being 'a dealbreaker, ladies'
Jack: Wearing an Atlanta Falcons jersey to your sister's wedding as another 'dealbreaker' scenario
Jack Running Gag Observational Jack: Jack's over-the-top Italian stereotype impression: 'I'm Jack and I don't know who my father is. I'm very emotional and want to smash these barrels'
Jack Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Jack: Jack's dark definition of family: 'Resentment, guilt, Easter egg hunts that turn into knife fights'
Jack Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch Jack: 'You know what family means to me, Lemon? Grudges, guilt...'
Jack Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Jack: Jack wants to whisper something cutting in his mother's ear while she's dying
Jack Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Liz: Liz's Sims reference: when a child doesn't see their father enough, they act erratically and eventually wet themselves
Liz Observational Meta/Self-Referential Liz: Liz's sad question: 'Why don't I have any other friends?'
Liz Reaction Beat Character Comedy Tracy: Tracy is practicing sitting when Jack enters
Tracy Absurdist Physical/Slapstick Tracy: Tracy's logic about his dead father: if he were alive, he'd be living in Tracy's house taking $200k annually to mow the lawn
Tracy Character Comedy Observational Tracy: Tracy's bizarre guess about Jack's secret: he bought a motorcycle sidecar but his dog refuses to sit in it
Tracy Absurdist Misdirection ★ Rewatch Tracy: Tracy's admission: 'It wasn't easy saying that. I struggled to say that sentence'
Tracy Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy Tracy: Tracy's elaborate metaphor about feeling shocked and scared 'like a dog in a sidecar when it detaches from the motorcycle'
Tracy Callback Absurdist ★ Rewatch Callback Gina: Gina's excitement about Brett Michaels wanting to use her catchphrase and wear matching outfits
Gina Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Gina: SportsCenter using the dealbreaker phrase: 'Rangers playing dirty hockey - that's a dealbreaker, ladies!'
Gina Callback Absurdist Callback Gina: 'You know who else likes Deal Breakers? Bret Michaels!'
Tracy: Tracy's announcement of reading about his illegitimate son in 'Black Contractors and Butts' magazine
Tracy Absurdist Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Tracy: Tracy repeats the sidecar metaphor again about media hawks discovering the story
Tracy Callback Running Gag Callback Tracy: Tracy introduces his son Donald: 'I want you kids to meet a bastard - my little bastard Donald Jordan'
Tracy Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Donald: 'Can you give me a thousand dollars for something I need?'
Donald Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Len: Len mentions giving his gun to a priest in case he gets depressed again
Len Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement Kenneth: I know, but I have a hard time guessing the age of black Americans. Black shoes are the best shoes.
Liz · Jack: Liz's 'Mamma Mia' reference and Jack's confusion leading to her explanation of the ABBA musical
Liz Jack Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy Liz · Jack: 'It's like the movie Mamma Mia' / 'What?' / 'Nothing, don't push it, let it happen, there'll be a Mamma Mia'
Liz Jack Meta/Self-Referential Escalation Liz · Tracy: 'Listen Tracy, you're 39 years old, right?' / 'Of course, why would I lie about my age? I work in entertainment'
Liz · Kenneth · Tracy: Liz and Kenneth testing Tracy's age with Rob Base's 'It Takes Two' - Tracy performs it perfectly despite claiming to be 39
Tracy · Donald: Donald's birth certificate that Tracy 'printed for him' and leaving a check blank as requested
Donald: 'And you left the check blank like I asked'
Donald Escalation Cringe/Discomfort Liz · Jack: 'Are you ready to meet them?' / 'Yes' / 'Jack, meet George Park, he's Korean'
Fred: Fred's war story about a grenade exploding in his genitals, making his privates look 'like a plate of spaghetti'
Fred Dark/Subversive Visual Gag ★ Rewatch Gina: Gina getting a Time Out magazine photoshoot to be named 'Most Whimsical Woman in New York' for no reason
Gina Character Comedy Absurdist Liz: Liz's description of her late-night writing process: eating dry bran raisin to stay awake and taking the 'fart train' to work
Liz Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Liz · Kenneth: Liz saving half a muffin 'to eat later' and the observation about what 21-year-old wraps half a muffin
Kenny · Donald: Kenny's magazine subscription pitch using 'S and M' as abbreviation for 'Magical and Marvelous'
Kenneth: Kenneth's casual mention of trying to steal his dead neighbor's identity because 'sometimes things get overwhelming' and he might need to 'get in the car and drive away'
Kenneth Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch George: 'Don't get me started. My cousin killed everyone at his work'
George Dark/Subversive Escalation Milton: Milton's family description: 'The Greens are very sharp until the very end, which makes the end more terrifying. My father died screaming'
Milton Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Milton: 'The Greens are very sharp right up until the end, which makes the end more terrifying. My father died screaming'
Milton Dark/Subversive Escalation Jack: Jack's angry outburst: 'Screw you and screw your crappy contest!'
Jack Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Photographer · Liz · Gina: The photographer suggesting Liz and Gina 'act a little weird' for some shots, leading to prop comedy
Photographer: The photographer asking Liz to 'imitate a chicken farting' for the shot
Donald: Donald's distress call: 'Help mama's baby! Help mama's baby!' while running away
Donald Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick Milton: Milton's insult about Jack's shoes: asking when his religious cult will commit suicide
Milton Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Liz · Kenneth: Discovery that Donald is 40 years old, making him older than Tracy
Liz Kenneth Setup/Punchline Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tracy: Tracy's admission: 'Liz Lemon, I may hug people warmly and get lost in malls, but I'm not stupid'
Tracy Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tracy: Tracy comparing Donald to John Travolta's character in 'Grease': attractive, charismatic, and off the straight path
Tracy Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential Tracy: Donald spent Kenneth's chess set money on condoms for the boys at the community center
Tracy Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Donald · Tracy: The karate school is named 'Tracy Jordan Karate for Black People'
Liz: Liz on the magazine cover giving birth to a chicken over a toilet
Liz Visual Gag Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Liz: Magazine cover showing Liz birthing a chicken over a toilet
Liz Visual Gag Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Milton: Milton's story about not being able to pay rent so he gave Colleen 'something else' - a radio, then later they got drunk and had sex
Milton Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Milton: Milton's immediate request after the father-son reunion: 'I need a kidney transplant'
Milton Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch