Liz searches for a man she met in her dentist's waiting room. Jack fears for the future when he learns a cable company may have its sights on NBC. Jenna helps Tracy try to get a Tony award.
High-density absurdist hour delivers 70 jokes at 3 per minute, anchored by character-driven callbacks.
Directed by Ken Whittingham, Don Scardino · Written by Tracey Wigfield, Jon Haller
WAR
128.5
Wins Above Replacement
“Future Husband” ranks #51 of 138 30 Rock episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 98.8 — Elite. The episode packs 73 scored jokes at 3.1 per minute, averaging 7.9 on craft and 7.6 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: Jack on CableTown: 'How could a company from Philadelphia buy a company from New York? That would be like Vietnam defeating the United States in a ground war.'
Jack Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jack Welch: Jack Welch offers 'weakness tissues' so Jack can 'pass some eye water'
Jack Welch Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Kenneth: Kenneth justifies deception for love using: 'Lot's daughters got him drunk to repopulate the world through incest' and 'Screech went to the masquerade ball in disguise so Lisa would kiss him'
Kenneth Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Absurdist ★ Rewatch Liz: Liz: 'I don't know what he looks like. He could be a serial killer. He could wear a thumb ring.'
Liz Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Jack Welch: Welch reveals they hid Geiss in his freezer 'just like we did with Hiram Sheinhardt during the RCA deal'
All Jokes — 73 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Jack · Liz: Jack asking if he put a toaster waffle into his DVD player and watched it for an hour, then declared Nicole Kidman should get an Oscar for it
Jack Liz Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Liz · Masseuse: Liz reveals Jack was trying to order home massages off Craigslist, then a man appears at the door saying 'Hey, somebody order a massage?'
Liz: Liz shouts 'You're too late! I already killed her!'
Liz Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Jack: Jack on women jogging: 'Almost exclusively women that look like me. If the pervert community gets wind of morning jogging, God help us.'
Jack Observational Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Jack: Jack on CableTown: 'How could a company from Philadelphia buy a company from New York? That would be like Vietnam defeating the United States in a ground war.'
Jack Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jack: Jack opens Don Geiss's book 'Geiss Cubes' to random pages and reads: 'Because a woman's brain has fewer folds' and 'The Negroid musculature...'
Jack Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Jonathan · Liz: Jonathan's excuse for Frank: 'On his way to work, he found some magic beans, and because he believed in them...' — then gets cut off with 'Ship up.'
Liz · Jenna: Liz finds 'Future Husband' in her contacts and has zero memory of how it got there
Liz: Liz: 'I don't know what he looks like. He could be a serial killer. He could wear a thumb ring.'
Liz Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Jenna: Jenna's motto: 'Everything always works out for the best'
Jenna Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Jenna: Jenna throws her wallet out the window to demonstrate that 'everything always works out' — then looks confused when asked how that demonstrates anything
Jenna Absurdist Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Tracy: Tracy cannot remember the name of the network for a promo — 'Watch TGS this Friday on... on...'
Tracy Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Tracy · Liz: Tracy declares himself 'a future Tony-nominated actor' mid-promo and announces he's going for the T in his EGOT
Jack · Jonathan: 'Maybe we're the last people on earth. Maybe we are legend. You're Will Smith and I'm the dog.'
Jack: Jack fakes being in a meeting by saying 'Rhubarb, rhubarb, golf. Prostate.'
Jack Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Jonathan · Jack: Jonathan says if anything should happen to him, he wants Jack to read 'Oh, the Places You'll Go' at his funeral; Jack flatly refuses.
Dr. Kaplan · Liz: Dr. Kaplan has had a pamphlet printed up because he's 'tired of discussing' the cheese question
Dr. Kaplan: The dentist describes the mystery man's teeth: 'He has some gum recession. Four-pockets on 14 and 15. But overall, very good teeth. Especially for an Englishman.'
Liz · Dr. Kaplan: Dr. Kaplan refuses to share more information citing 'doctor-patient confidentiality' — Liz says he's not really a doctor — and he responds: 'Then you're not really a patient. And people who aren't patients don't get toys from the treat bucket.'
Kenneth: Kenneth slept at the office because his keys are in Jenna's lost wallet; he reports that 'two little twin girls told me they wanted to play with me forever'
Kenneth Dark/Subversive Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jenna: Jenna slept in the office and was visited by 'two little twin girls who told me they wanted to play with me forever'
Jenna Dark/Subversive Absurdist Jenna: Jenna sees a rave review about Tracy and dismisses the pun 'Claps-Giving Yay Harade' — 'It's as if Claps-Giving Yay Harade has lost all meaning'
Jenna Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Tracy: Tracy announces he's a Broadway star and asks Jenna to accept his Tony on his behalf — then says June is tough because he starts lifeguarding again
Tracy Character Comedy Absurdist Jenna: Jenna explains she knows Tony rules because she's petitioning for a category: 'Living Theatrically in Normal Life'
Jenna Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tracy: Tracy demonstrates he 'never does the same thing twice' with rapid-fire random lines: 'Honey, I'm home! Pac-Man, I'm Jewish! Jeffrey, we lost the tournament!'
Tracy Character Comedy Absurdist Escalation ★ Rewatch Jenna: Jenna suggests Tracy find another T for his necklace — 'Do they give an award for Tarantula Misplacement?'
Jenna Absurdist Character Comedy Jonathan: Jonathan sings a little song to himself while downloading Geiss's schedule: '# Jonathan downloads Geiss' schedule / Mr. Donaghy will be grateful #'
Liz · Kenneth: Liz has a 'donkey spell' — she makes donkey sounds in public — because she didn't fill her prescription
Liz Kenneth Absurdist Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Kenneth · Liz: Liz's description of the mystery man: 'he is English and he made me laugh' — then Kenneth's enthusiastic response about England being 'the dried husk America came out of'
Kenneth: Kenneth justifies deception for love using: 'Lot's daughters got him drunk to repopulate the world through incest' and 'Screech went to the masquerade ball in disguise so Lisa would kiss him'
Kenneth Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Absurdist ★ Rewatch Liz · Kenneth: Kenneth calls Wesley doing a fake Caribbean/Jamaican nurse accent that gradually goes Irish
Liz Kenneth Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick Escalation ★ Rewatch Liz: 'Cool runnings, mon. Bobsled.'
Liz Cringe/Discomfort Absurdist Kenneth: 'Bobsled' — Kenneth says it as a standalone word after hanging up, apparently to reinforce the Jamaica theme
Kenneth Absurdist Deadpan/Understatement Callback Liz: Liz has another donkey spell immediately after completing the call: 'Stay away, I will bite you! Hee-haw!'
Liz Running Gag Absurdist Physical/Slapstick Callback Jack · Avery: Avery rejects Jack's romantic offer to braid her hair; he insists 'it's romantic and I'm really good at it'
Jack: Jack barges into the CNBC newsroom shouting: 'Hey, CNBC! Nightly News rules! Go break a story, Williams! Nightly rules!'
Jack Character Comedy Absurdist Jack: Jack demonstrates how Geiss taught him to command a room: 'Back to work!'
Jack Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Avery: Avery says she cut ties with her old mentor 'Pat O'Brien, after he shaved his moustache'
Avery Character Comedy Absurdist Jack · Avery: Jack defends his mentor loyalty: 'I have spent 30 years trying to be that guy.' Avery: 'But you're never going to be! Because no one is! That world doesn't exist anymore!' Jack: 'You're making me sound just like my mother!'
Jack: Jack says he's going to Connecticut to 'stand by my man — which is the song I sang to Don at his promotion dinner'
Jack Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Jenna: Jenna: 'If I wanted to see a black guy make a fool of himself, I'd have sex with K-Fed again.'
Jenna Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Jenna · Kenneth: Jenna refuses to help Tracy — then when Kenneth says it would take 'the greatest acting coach the world has ever seen' — she immediately says 'Fine, I'll do it!'
Wesley: Wesley arrives at the dentist's office and says 'Bobsled' to the receptionist after being told to sign in
Wesley Callback Absurdist ★ Rewatch Callback Wesley · Liz: Wesley reveals his phone shows Liz as 'Future Wife' — implying he also named her that while under anesthesia
Wesley Liz Setup/Punchline Misdirection ★ Rewatch Callback Wesley: Wesley's story about why he was at the dentist: caused by an infection from 'off-brand toothbrush bristles' he bought 'over Christmas because my mom threw away my old Snoopy one'
Wesley Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Liz · Wesley: Liz mentions British people have notoriously bad teeth — Wesley claims he's never heard this
Wesley: Wesley introduces the concept of 'breadback' — 'the loaf of back fat between a woman's bra and her giant underwear' — claiming it's a common phrase
Wesley Character Comedy Absurdist Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Wesley: Wesley: 'Not to you, no.' (responding to Liz saying 'People don't say that')
Wesley Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Jack Welch · Jack: Jack Welch reveals Don Geiss has been dead for three weeks and they've been 'hiding him in the freezer — just like we did with Hiram Sheinhardt during the R.C.A. deal'
Jack Welch: Welch reveals they hid Geiss in his freezer 'just like we did with Hiram Sheinhardt during the RCA deal'
Jack Welch: Jack Welch offers 'weakness tissues' so Jack can 'pass some eye water'
Jack Welch Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: Jack refuses to cry in front of Jack Welch — specifically 'Neutron Jack'
Jack Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Liz: Liz reports that the coffee date was so awkward 'the waitress gave us separate checks without asking. And a priest came over and asked us who we'd lost.'
Liz Setup/Punchline Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack · Liz: Jack delivers the devastating line: 'It's over, Lemon. It's all over.' — then reveals Don Geiss is dead and NBC is being sold to KableTown, 'with a K'
Jack Liz Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Liz: Liz: 'Oh, yeah, my parents have KableTown down in Pennsylvania. It's a fine and generous company.'
Liz Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Liz: In the middle of Jack's emotional breakdown about his career dreams, Liz asks: 'Will I still be able to turn in old cab receipts, or do you think—' then catches herself
Liz Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Jack: Jack: 'That's the sound of me being erased from contact lists all around the world.'
Jack Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Jack · Liz: Jack announces the Hug Plane is 'coming in for a landing' and gives Liz 'clearance for approach'
Jack Liz Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Jenna · Tracy: Jenna's acting lesson begins: she says 'Acting is about consistency and control' — Tracy immediately says 'Got it, no farting'
Jenna · Tracy: Jenna's elocution exercise: 'Repeat after me.' Tracy says: 'After me.' Jenna: 'No, Tracy.' Tracy: 'No, stop it, not this part.'
Jenna · Tracy: Jenna's elocution tongue-twister: 'To sit in solemn silence in a dull, dark dock...' — Tracy immediately destroys it: 'To sit in darkness in a sharp, shock shop in darkness in sitting in sharp.'
Jenna: Jenna reveals her first acting job was as 'Baby Stuck in Well' in a commercial for 'Well Guards' — tagline: 'Guard your well... well.'
Jenna Character Comedy Absurdist Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Tracy: Tracy responds to Jenna's childhood acting story: 'You were a fat baby.'
Tracy Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Kenneth · Tracy: Kenneth asks Tracy if he can repeat his performance — Tracy mishears it as an echo of his own voice
Liz · Wesley · Kenneth: Wesley arrives at 30 Rock because Kenneth found his wallet — Liz reacts with utter disbelief: 'This is not possible.'
Kenneth: Kenneth: 'I am either very happy right now, or I'm having a pretty bad donkey spell. I'm okay. It will pass.'
Kenneth Callback Character Comedy Running Gag ★ Rewatch Callback Liz · Wesley: Wesley and Liz agree to give it another shot — Liz asks if he likes Tex-Mex; he says no; she says 'See you there.'
Liz Wesley Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Avery: Avery's news report describes the frontrunner for running NBC as having 'the piercing, blue eyes of a Siberian husky that the job requires'
Avery Character Comedy Absurdist Irony/Sarcasm Avery: Avery quotes Jack on-air: 'I'm going to celebrate by buying my lady friend that necklace she pointed out and then cooking her a Western omelette'
Avery Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Meta/Self-Referential Jack · Avery: 'And then, I'm going to braid your hair.' — Jack says this on-air through Avery's news report
Jack Avery Callback Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Stock market report transitions into a credits roll of names being read alphabetically (apparently from a contact list being deleted)
Visual Gag Callback Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback
Audience: Final audience reaction: 'Bravo! It's a triumph!'
Tracy · Jenna: Tracy's second one-man show ends to thunderous applause: 'Bravo! It's a triumph!'
Tracy Jenna Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Setup/Punchline