Liz uses her newfound confidence to solve Pete's problem with a difficult editor (Paul Giamatti); Jack tries to cheat mortality; Tracy vows to be present when his wife gives birth.
74 jokes in 24 minutes—densest episode of Season 5's first half.
Directed by Don Scardino · Written by Robert Carlock
WAR
88.4
Wins Above Replacement
“When It Rains, It Pours” ranks #49 of 138 30 Rock episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 87.2 — Elite. The episode packs 74 scored jokes at 3.1 per minute, averaging 7.3 on craft and 7.0 on impact, with Jack landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Jack: Will I ever experience the father-son bonding of realizing you were both at the same masked orgy in a castle?
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: His death must appear to be accidental.
Jack Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: The Donaghys originally come from Ireland's little known county Steve, where, historically, we were whiskey testers and goblins.
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tracy: I've missed the birth of both of my sons for very legitimate reasons. Cooking a French-bread pizza and forgot.
Tracy Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tracy: Despite having gone to middle school in an exxon station?
Tracy Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 74 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Unknown character: Just because my friend is blonde and never closes her mouth fully... hey, I wasn't talking to her. I was talking to you, glasses.
Unknown character: ...Infected penis.
Liz · Unknown character: You are... like a pretty refugee on the news.
Liz: So can I finally wear that cowboy hat I bought at Kiss-FM's lake jam '97?
Liz Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Unknown character · Liz: I want your feet in my mouth. When it rains, it pours.
Jack: Hello, 'Javery.' Time-saver.
Jack Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Jack: Like God, I created man. We're having a boy.
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: Every woman my boy dates will get compared to me, and they will be found wanting.
Jack Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jack: This is just what I need... To store my rock collection.
Jack Reaction Beat Character Comedy Jack: 50 is the new 40... For men. But 50 is still 60 for women.
Jack Observational Dark/Subversive Liz · Jack: Whatevs, Tony Randall. / Whatevs, indeed, because that makes you Jack Klugman.
Liz Jack Setup/Punchline Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Liz: Damn! I'm a writer. I'm messy. I'm a loveable curmudgeon. That is solid! Advantage, Donaghy.
Liz Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential ★ Rewatch Unknown crew member: It was supposed to say 'peace,' but they wrote 'white hooker' instead.
Tracy: I'm 'werewolfing' myself.
Tracy Wordplay/Pun Absurdist Tracy: I've missed the birth of both of my sons for very legitimate reasons. Cooking a French-bread pizza and forgot.
Tracy Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tracy: And my mood ring! And I don't know how I feel about that.
Tracy Setup/Punchline Wordplay/Pun Tracy · Liz: There's something about you lately, make me want to put my feet in your mouth.
Tracy Liz Cringe/Discomfort Callback Callback Unknown crew member: Who do they think they are... mommy and her sisters?
Liz · Unknown crew member: I'll go down there, turn on the new Liz Lemon charm, a little Julia Roberts laugh... Ha ha ha! / What's in your teeth? / Corn.
Jack: Will I ever experience the father-son bonding of realizing you were both at the same masked orgy in a castle?
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: And stand outside in a crowd like some Italian?
Jack Character Comedy Observational Tracy: I don't get why people like brunch. What's the benefit of combining break dancing and lunch?
Tracy Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Doctor: Good morning. Now, full disclosure... most of my experience is putting babies in women.
Doctor Cringe/Discomfort Setup/Punchline Jack: The Donaghys originally come from Ireland's little known county Steve, where, historically, we were whiskey testers and goblins.
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: I was raised in Sadchester, Massachusetts, I won the amory blaine handsomeness scholarship to Princeton and then attended Harvard business school where I was voted 'most.'
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: I once hit a stand-up triple off Fidel Castro.
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: I was the first person ever to say, 'I need a vacation from this vacation.'
Jack Character Comedy Observational Jack: The song you're so vain was, in fact, written by me.
Jack Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Jack: You are hiking in the Japanese highlands. A pair of snow leopards is stalking you, and the blade of your katana is frosted into its scabbard.
Jack Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Ritchie: Better... civil war reenactor. Kind of an expert at getting shot by, uh, smooth-bore firearms, you know? Like... kah, kah! Kah, kah, kah, kow! Blah, hah! Gah! Kaw! Kah! Kaw, kaw! Ah, death to Lincoln!
Ritchie Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Tracy: It's like I always say... 'white cab drivers are weird.'
Tracy Observational Character Comedy Tracy: Despite having gone to middle school in an exxon station?
Tracy Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Ritchie: It's very authentic. So don't play it around your black friends.
Ritchie Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Frank: If you wanted to cheat on Carol with an Italian dude who smells like cigarettes, I've made it very clear I would flip over my futon for you.
Frank Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Liz: A Kiss-FM DJ once called a 'sweet lid'?
Liz Callback Character Comedy Callback Frank: I had to be at work this morning at 11:00.
Frank Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Frank: You know, neighbors who wear my exact size don't die every day!
Frank Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tracy: Because 'centipeding' means having sex with 100 women.
Tracy Wordplay/Pun Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tracy: Fyi, they're very difficult to keep in a home aquarium.
Tracy Character Comedy Observational Jack: Do not hire sting to play the reception. He'll insist on doing jazz versions of police songs, and it's just... Demoralizing.
Jack Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Jack: His death must appear to be accidental.
Jack Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: The secret to a strong, healthy head of hair is dove...Blood.
Jack Misdirection Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jack: Remember, the backflip is 90% confidence.
Jack Character Comedy Observational Kenneth: Just like the time I was cleaning my closet, and my mom and her friend Ron came in to take one of their grunting naps on my bed...
Kenneth Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Kenneth: Just like the time I was cleaning my closet, and my mom and her friend Ron came in to take one of their grunting naps on my bed...
Kenneth Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Jack · Jack: We don't need you. So move on with your life, starting now. / That is called tough love.
Jack: Kenneth is now on a journey that will either return him here where he belongs or end... In his death.
Jack Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack: Juggling is easier than it looks.
Jack Character Comedy Absurdist Andrea Mitchell: Thank you, Brian. Slut.
Ritchie: Ritchie Tamuto, islanders fan and role-playing slave owner.
Ritchie Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Liz · Ritchie: His name is Carol. / That sounds really fake.
Ritchie: Oh, 'reallo'? I meant to say 'really.' I misspoke. Continue.
Ritchie Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Ritchie: I started doing fantasy hockey camp and civil war re-creationism to meet girls. But I don't know where they are.
Ritchie Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Ritchie: I've been sitting close enough to touch her... But a million miles away.
Ritchie Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Kenneth: Drugs during childbirth? Isn't the whole point feeling God punish you?
Kenneth Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Tracy: I know, 'cause I'm a descendant of Thomas Jefferson and lazy Susan herself!
Tracy Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tracy: I know that, because if I go back there, I'll be executed.
Tracy Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jack: 'And the tree was happy.' Shel silverstein was a communist.
Jack Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tracy: I got to go feed the meter.
Tracy Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Donna: How many guys have a fully loaded Toyota tercel or a real pinball machine?
Donna Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Donna: How many guys have been to Canada... Twice?
Donna Character Comedy Observational Donna: Are you doing this to me because I don't share your love of unicorns?
Donna Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Donna: I guess some other woman will get to enjoy that water bed that you're saving up for.
Donna Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Tracy · Angie: Why's that baby covered with goop? / 'Cause everything about this is disgusting.
Jack: Find a woman named Elizabeth Lemon, get her advice, and then do the opposite.
Jack Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Kenneth: Your ability to hide your true feelings is part of your great strength.
Kenneth Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Tracy: You want to make God laugh? Make a plan... Or read him a Dave Barry book.
Tracy Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Tracy · Jack · Tracy · Jack: There's no baby in here. / Good God! / Oh, she's in the crib. / Good.
Avery: That Russian skank read the ultrasound wrong.
Avery Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Tracy: I hate to say I told you so... So welcome to Miami.
Tracy Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Tracy: I hate to say I told you so... So welcome to Miami.
Tracy Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Jack: If you have the blondness and self-esteem of your mother, you will need no advice. Life will be easy for you.
Jack Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Liz: If you're running low on laundry, a bathing suit makes perfectly acceptable underwear.
Liz Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Liz: Put potato chips on a sandwich!
Liz Character Comedy Observational 