Flu is spreading amongst the "TGS" cast and crew fast, and Liz is determined not to catch it too. Dr. Spaceman is giving vaccinations, but Jack is being selective about who gets one. Liz is offered one, but refuses to accept it, championing the rights of the crew. Meanwhile, Jack must be creative if he is to spend any time with Elisa, since she is working seven days a week.
Flu fears fuel 53 jokes in 23 minutes—30 Rock's densest episode yet.
Directed by Don Scardino · Written by Jon Pollack
WAR
63.9
Wins Above Replacement
“Flu Shot” ranks #60 of 138 30 Rock episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 85.8 — Elite. The episode packs 53 scored jokes at 2.3 per minute, averaging 7.3 on craft and 7.1 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
Kenneth: Wrapped in a Confederate Flag, fried and fed to dogs.
Kenneth Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Mr. Templeton: He made me watch a giraffe with the legs of a man! He gave money to a silver man! He ate a plate of fire!
Dr. Spaceman: My favorite part is attending executions.
Liz: My grandfather dug out the White Haven quarry, and my other grandfather filled it back in with the sludge from the eraser factory.
Liz Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Jack · Elisa: Musical sequence about taking Mr. Templeton out
All Jokes — 53 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Crew Member: Then at night, I've got to drive around Newark looking for my runaway daughter.
Kenneth: With your flat, manly, milking thumbs and your long, graceful knuckle hair
Kenneth Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Liz: after the French custom, people wear dark socks to the beach
Liz Observational Character Comedy Liz: being worn by Dame Judi Dench's mother
Liz Escalation Setup/Punchline Kenneth: Oh, no! I must have ox fever! When did I walk barefoot near an ox?
Cerie: Oh, I forgot to hit send. Just hold on a second. There you go.
Cerie Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Elisa: I once had a very under-cooked fish sandwich at a parade.
Elisa Character Comedy Observational Jack: Oh, that reminds me. I owe Lou Dobbs a call.
Jack Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Elisa: Especially those whose grandmothers are addicted to online poker.
Elisa Character Comedy Observational Jack: Wow. That does not sound right.
Jack Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Kenneth Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Liz · Sully: Sully! Brett Favre, right?
Dr. Spaceman: My favorite part is attending executions.
Dr. Spaceman: A more refined class of prostitute... For me, it's really about the companionship.
Liz: My grandfather dug out the White Haven quarry, and my other grandfather filled it back in with the sludge from the eraser factory.
Liz Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Jack: When is modern science going to find a cure for a woman's mouth?
Jack Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Mr. Templeton: Hey, it's me. Matlock. I need your help.
Jack · Elisa · Mr. Templeton: Is that a beak? - Yes! - No. Yes!
Tracy: Then why am I telling you you look like Tootsie today?
Tracy Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Kenneth: Wrapped in a Confederate Flag, fried and fed to dogs.
Kenneth Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Liz: I saw the trailer when I went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Crew Member: This makes me want to 'shoop'! 'Shoop, shoop, shoop, shoop, shoop!'
Tracy: It was a bad one. Jenna had to put my tongue guard in.
Tracy Character Comedy Visual Gag Tracy · Jenna: My what? ...No. ...With what? My arms? ...That would be the worst part!
Jenna: Without the crew, we'd just be two amazing people succeeding in a vacuum.
Jenna Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Jenna: Because it's their birthday.
Jenna Character Comedy Absurdist Elisa: Thank you, Roger. This table was super-duper.
Elisa Character Comedy Observational Elisa: But I spend all my time with the BigVegetable.
Elisa Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Jack · Elisa: Musical sequence about taking Mr. Templeton out
Liz: I am so happy, the number four, the letter 'U'.
Liz Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Liz: Stay away, sick ones!
Liz Physical/Slapstick Escalation Jack: If you want a shot... you're going to have to dance for it.
Dr. Spaceman: I'm cheating on my wife.
Liz: Yeah, I get it. You went shopping. I don't need the montage.
Liz Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tracy: I also want to thank you for controlling yourself sexually while we spend time together on this adventure.
Tracy Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Elisa Visual Gag Reaction Beat Dr. Spaceman: About 24 hours after receiving the flu shot... you develop a distinctive rash... at the injection site.
Kenneth: I wasn't resting! A Parcell man never lies down on the job. Unless that job involves... milking pig teats.
Kenneth Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Kenneth: Oh... Oh, ma chère maman! Pourquoi? Pourquoi m' as tu laissè?
Kenneth Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Jack: But he's going to need a helmet.
Jack Dark/Subversive Visual Gag Elisa: Oh, the customers are so sad. 'Can I help you?' 'Yes. What time do you start throwing out doughnuts?'
Elisa Observational Character Comedy Mr. Templeton: A man comes at night. He comes to the house and takes me. He wears a suit. His hair is thick... like a Bolshevik Commissar.
Mr. Templeton: He made me watch a giraffe with the legs of a man! He gave money to a silver man! He ate a plate of fire!
Mr. Templeton: But now, he owns a railroad!
Jenna · Tracy: And what's the best medicine? Medicine? Laughter.
Mr. Templeton: And then... I want to go to a Negro bar.
Tracy · Jenna: What? Why aren't you laughing? This is happening to Liz!
Crew: She got a flu shot! She... She lied to us! Give us back our meat plate!
Crew Escalation Character Comedy Callback Liz: This one has beach socks and ice cream and sandwich turtles!
Liz Character Comedy Absurdist Callback Liz: A Filipino gentleman. His name is Banyani. I want to take him as my island lover!
Liz Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Liz: It kind of peters out after that. I just suck pie off my sweatshirt for the next half hour.
Liz Character Comedy Visual Gag Jack: Both ends! Both ends!
Jack Physical/Slapstick Cringe/Discomfort Jack · Elisa: Final musical sequence about Mr. Templeton
