Jenna's mother comes to visit, and she looks to Jack to help. Frank moves in with Liz as a boarder, and they decide to aid one another stop some bad habits.
Joke-packed episode hits 62 gags in 23 minutes—30 Rock's densest half-hour.
Directed by Don Scardino · Written by Ron Weiner
WAR
93.6
Wins Above Replacement
“Verna” ranks #3 of 138 30 Rock episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 93.8 — Elite. The episode packs 62 scored jokes at 2.7 per minute, averaging 7.6 on craft and 7.4 on impact, with Verna landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Jack: It turns out she had a tumor Pressing on her brain's pleasure center. A tumor those quack doctors removed.
Jack Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Frank · Denise: I need you, Denise. I'm trying to quit smoking, And my mom's not here. I'm your mama now, baby.
Jenna: Don't go, mommy. I'll stand closer to the gator.
Jenna Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Verna: Could a bad mom have raised a daughter Who was engaged to a congressman when she was 16?
Verna Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Jack · Meat Cat: You're a good man, Jack Donaghy. Thanks, meat cat.
All Jokes — 62 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Liz: Congratulations. It's meat cat! the cheesy blasters mascot. I'm what's inside ya! Razzmatazz!
Liz Absurdist Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Liz Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Kenneth: While I tell you a funny story About my friend's cat. His name is Mr. Wiggles, And his cat's name is Benson.
Kenneth Character Comedy Misdirection ★ Rewatch Jenna: She was trying to use An Oxycontin prescription bottle as I.D.
Jenna Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Jenna: Just like the day I was born.
Jenna Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jenna: This is some woman who shows up Every couple of years to ask for money. To her, I'm just a gorgeous, Naturally-blonde ATM.
Jenna Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Liz: don't go to sleep with a frown in your pocket
Liz Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Frank: I left my Sith Lord cloak Too near my mom's shrine to Italian Jesus, And the candles started a fire.
Frank Character Comedy Absurdist Tracy: I'm sorry. Would you like to stay in my guest house? Yeah. Thanks. When's good to go over there? Oh, I'm not offering. I'm just taking a survey To gauge general interest.
Tracy Misdirection Character Comedy Frank: Oh, I'd like to pre-apologize For clogging your tub, sink, and toilet.
Frank Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Jack: Mothers. You can't kill them...
Jack Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement Verna · Young Jenna: Keep you and your pets safe With gator hater gator spray. Sorry. Honey, you got to get closer to the gator. We drove eleven hours to get here, And you're not getting any younger.
Jack: that day in January When the post office is closed.
Jack Character Comedy Observational Jenna: Can I just tell you I'm genuinely having fun right now?
Jenna Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Jack: Say no. Talk low. Let her go.
Jack Wordplay/Pun Observational Frank: Wow. An old white lady yelling at me While wearing microwavable socks. This is so different than living with my mom.
Frank Irony/Sarcasm Observational Liz: That the episode of diff'rent strokes About Dudley dad Has proven incontrovertibly That smoking destroys your health And leads to ridicule from Willis.
Liz Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Frank: manufactured in a facility that also processes food.
Frank Observational Wordplay/Pun Liz: This is what meat cat spoke of.
Liz Callback Absurdist ★ Rewatch Callback Frank: But if doing this restores my sex drive, The plus-sized ladies in the mail room Have you to blame.
Frank Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Jenna: Is this the fight? I'm talking quieter. I'm in control.
Jenna Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential Jenna: Don't go, mommy. I'll stand closer to the gator.
Jenna Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Kenneth: funny story. There was a guy on the subway Who I thought for a second didn't have any fingers. But then I realized He was holding his hand like this.
Pete: While you were talking, I put a thumbtack in my neck. Makes me feel something.
Pete Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Liz: Autumn tempeh risotto With salmon-rubbed streusel chunks.
Liz Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Jack: It turns out she had a tumor Pressing on her brain's pleasure center. A tumor those quack doctors removed.
Jack Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Verna: He does look like he'd be great Between those two things we were talking about.
Verna: Something's killing all the birds in my neighborhood.
Verna Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Verna: Could a bad mom have raised a daughter Who was engaged to a congressman when she was 16?
Verna Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Verna: Like a pair of white jeans And a Dan Marino jersey or something, 'kay?
Verna Observational Character Comedy Liz: Last night I spent an hour Trying to remember how to spell the word 'height.'
Liz Character Comedy Observational Frank: Rossitanos have refused to fight in seven wars.
Frank Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tracy: Just like the one our nanny used To catch me watching her sleep.
Tracy Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Dancer: I was told I'd get paid If I came here and danced while the Atlanta hawks eat dinner.
Verna: A liar. A dental hygienist.
Verna Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Verna: I've been a lot of things- A liar. A dental hygienist.
Verna: And then I went and drove my jet ski Into that great big bunch of moss.
Verna Character Comedy Absurdist Jack: Because I'm listening to the words.
Jack Deadpan/Understatement Meta/Self-Referential Verna: I feel like I'm in The Martha Stewart section of Kmart.
Verna Character Comedy Observational Verna: I did not drive my home All the way to new york city Just to kiss my daughter's ass.
Verna Character Comedy Misdirection Verna: Topless arguments. Infections caused by jacuzzi water.
Verna Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Verna: It's a mermaid. Doing it with Captain Morgan.
Verna Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Verna: Which is in my underpanties.
Verna Dark/Subversive Cringe/Discomfort Jenna: My mom just made them. So they still might have some pigeon mites. But she said those can't affect-affect humans-humans.
Jenna Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Callback Jenna: She's made a full 360.
Jenna Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Liz: Frank's old cigarettes. When I went to bed last night, There were 15 cigarettes in the pack. This morning, there were 12.
Liz Setup/Punchline Misdirection Liz · Frank: They're called night spanx.
Frank: It's a little-understood parasomnial disorder.
Frank Observational Character Comedy Liz · Frank: They're called night spanx.
Frank: You're sleepwalking, Liz. It's a little-understood parasomnial disorder.
Frank Character Comedy Misdirection Tracy: Did you learn nothing from Jurassic Park?
Tracy: I don't mean to be the black guy at the movie, But you better move, girl!
Tracy Meta/Self-Referential Observational Liz Escalation Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Frank · Denise: Denise, I said wait upstairs. My boss is asleep in the other room. I was told You have a package for the mail room.
Frank · Denise: I need you, Denise. I'm trying to quit smoking, And my mom's not here. I'm your mama now, baby.
Jack: I want to be in business with you.
Jack Misdirection Character Comedy Verna: Just like when I dye my pool on st. Patrick's day.
Verna Character Comedy Absurdist Verna: And I believe that gives me the upper hand,
Verna Callback Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Callback Verna: 3 grand a visit, And a rain tarp for my washer and dryer.
Verna Character Comedy Escalation Tracy: If you are spending your mornings with Kenneth, What's your release?
Tracy Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Pete: I've been biting my nails. Oh. I feel alive!
Pete Escalation Character Comedy Callback Jack · Meat Cat: You're a good man, Jack Donaghy. Thanks, meat cat.
