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
144.2
Wins Above Replacement
“When It Rains, It Pours” ranks #10 of 138 30 Rock episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 100.0 — Elite. The episode packs 79 scored jokes at 3.4 per minute, averaging 7.9 on craft and 7.8 on impact, with Jack Donaghy landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Tracy Jordan: 'Centennial' means 100 years because 'centipeding means having sex with 100 women'
Jack Donaghy: Jack's DVD: 'After I'm gone, your mother may meet someone else. I want her to be happy, so... his death must appear to be accidental.'
Jack Donaghy Dark/Subversive Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: Jack worries he won't be there for his son's 'first subpoena' or the father-son bonding of 'realizing you were both at the same masked orgy in a castle.'
Jack Donaghy · Liz Lemon: Jack immediately says 'This is over.' Liz: 'Let me give my reasons.' Jack: 'Put potato chips on a sandwich!'
Tracy Jordan: Tracy missed the birth of both his sons for 'very legitimate reasons' — specifically 'Cooking a French-bread pizza and forgot.'
Tracy Jordan Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Escalation ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 79 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Liz Lemon · Street Harasser: Opening street harassment scene — a man catcalls what he thinks is a woman, only to reveal he's actually addressing 'glasses' (Liz), followed by 'I bet you have... infected penis.'
Jenna Maroney · Liz Lemon: Jenna tells Liz she's like 'a pretty refugee on the news' as a compliment.
Liz Lemon: Liz asks if she can finally wear the cowboy hat she bought at Kiss-FM's Lake Jam '97.
Tracy Jordan · Liz Lemon: Immediate cut to Tracy saying 'I want your feet in my mouth' — the show's first 'when it rains, it pours' demonstration.
Jack Donaghy: Jack greets Avery and himself as 'Javery' — 'Time-saver.'
Jack Donaghy: Jack announces they're having a boy with 'Like God, I created man.'
Jack Donaghy · Avery Jessup: Jack predicts every woman his son dates will be compared to Avery 'and found wanting.'
Jack Donaghy: Jack says having an old dad was 'awesome' because 'I could get away with anything' — illustrated by the cutaway of a young Jack storing his rock collection in a large box.
Jack Donaghy Setup/Punchline Visual Gag Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: '50 is the new 40... for men. But 50 is still 60 for women.'
Jack Donaghy Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Observational ★ Rewatch Liz Lemon · Jack Donaghy: 'Whatevs, Tony Randall.' / 'Whatevs, indeed, because that makes you Jack Klugman.'
Liz Lemon: Liz's tattoo that was supposed to say 'peace' but said 'white hooker' instead.
Tracy Jordan: Tracy explains 'werewolfing' — locking himself in his dressing room so he can't miss the birth, like a werewolf locking himself in jail before a full moon.
Tracy Jordan: Tracy missed the birth of both his sons for 'very legitimate reasons' — specifically 'Cooking a French-bread pizza and forgot.'
Tracy Jordan Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Escalation ★ Rewatch Tracy Jordan · Grizz: Grizz is guarding the other door — 'And reading.'
Tracy Jordan: 'And my mood ring! And I don't know how I feel about that.'
Tracy Jordan · Liz Lemon: Tracy tells Liz there's 'something about you lately that makes me want to put my feet in your mouth.'
TGS Writer: The editing department has so much power over TGS that a writer compares them to 'mommy and her sisters.'
Liz Lemon: Liz demonstrates her 'new charm' with a Julia Roberts laugh — 'Ha ha ha!' — and immediately gets asked 'What's in your teeth?' 'Corn.'
Liz Lemon Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: Jack calculates he will be 70 when his son graduates prep school.
Jack Donaghy: Jack worries he won't be there for his son's 'first subpoena' or the father-son bonding of 'realizing you were both at the same masked orgy in a castle.'
Jack Donaghy: Jack refuses to evacuate during a fire drill because he won't 'stand outside in a crowd like some Italian.'
Tracy Jordan: Tracy muses: 'If I were a real werewolf, I'd wear baggy clothes so my nice clothes wouldn't get all torn up. Same rule for if I were the Hulk.'
Tracy Jordan: 'I don't get why people like brunch. What's the benefit of combining break dancing and lunch?'
Doctor: The ob-gyn introduces himself: 'Full disclosure — most of my experience is putting babies in women.'
Doctor Setup/Punchline Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Angie Jordan: Angie's response to the doctor's admission: 'You just described my morning.' (referring to Tracy)
Jack Donaghy: Jack's DVD message begins: 'The Donaghys originally come from Ireland's little-known County Steve, where, historically, we were whiskey testers and goblins.'
Jack Donaghy Absurdist Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: Jack says he won 'the Amory Blaine Handsomeness Scholarship to Princeton.'
Jack Donaghy: Jack was voted 'most' at Harvard Business School.
Jack Donaghy Absurdist Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: 'I once hit a stand-up triple off Fidel Castro.'
Jack Donaghy: 'I was the first person ever to say, I need a vacation from this vacation.'
Jack Donaghy: 'The song You're So Vain was, in fact, written by me.'
Jack Donaghy: Jack's DVD advice begins with a scenario: '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.'
Ritchie: Ritchie reveals he's a Civil War reenactor and expert at 'getting shot by smooth-bore firearms' — then demonstrates with an elaborate death performance: 'Kah, kah! Kah, kaw! Ah, death to Lincoln!'
Ritchie Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick Absurdist ★ Rewatch Ritchie · Liz Lemon: 'Oh, so a Southern gentleman.' — Ritchie takes the 'death to Lincoln' Confederate battle cry as a compliment and thanks her warmly
Ritchie: Ritchie gives Liz a CD of Civil War songs and warns: 'It's very authentic. So don't play it around your black friends.'
Ritchie Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Ritchie · Liz Lemon: Ritchie's hug — 'Two becoming one, hmm?' — followed by him attacking Liz from behind in a confusing physical gesture.
Pete Hornberger · Liz Lemon: Pete accuses Liz of cheating on Carol with 'an Italian dude who smells like cigarettes' and says he's 'flipped over his futon' for her.
Liz Lemon: Liz complains she'd be 'waiting for edits till 4:00 in the morning when I should be at home — which is the name of a bar I found near the train station.'
Liz Lemon Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Misdirection ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: Jack's contribution to the discussion of sacrifice: 'We all make sacrifices, Liz. I had to be at work this morning at 11:00.'
Jack Donaghy Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Jenna Maroney: 'Oh — you got sauce on me! You know, neighbors who wear my exact size don't die every day!'
Tracy Jordan: Tracy solves the Statue of Liberty trivia question by recalling the centennial, where someone had spread a rumor she'd 'slip out of her toga,' so Tracy went to 'see some green boobies.' Then uses 'centipeding means having sex with 100 women' to deduce 'centennial = 100 years.'
Tracy Jordan: 'Centennial' means 100 years because 'centipeding means having sex with 100 women'
Tracy Jordan: Tracy answers the Shamu question: 'She is an orca, Benjamin. FYI, they're very difficult to keep in a home aquarium.'
Tracy Jordan Character Comedy Absurdist Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: Jack's DVD advice: 'Do not hire Sting to play the reception. He'll insist on doing jazz versions of Police songs, and it's just... demoralizing.'
Jack Donaghy Character Comedy Observational Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: Jack's DVD: 'After I'm gone, your mother may meet someone else. I want her to be happy, so... his death must appear to be accidental.'
Jack Donaghy Dark/Subversive Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: Jack's DVD: 'The secret to a strong, healthy head of hair is dove... Blood.'
Jack Donaghy Misdirection Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: 'Remember, the backflip is 90% confidence.'
Kenneth Parcell · Jack Donaghy: Kenneth reveals he's been sneaking into Jack's office to clean the terrace — '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 Parcell: Kenneth explains being trapped: '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.'
Jack Donaghy: 'Kenneth is now on a journey that will either return him here where he belongs or end... in his death.'
Jack Donaghy Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Jack Donaghy: 'Juggling is easier than it looks.'
Frank Rossitano · Cerie · Other Writers: Frank reads a breaking news chyron: 'Ritchie and Liz spotted in tree. Eyewitnesses report K-I-S-S-I-N-G.' / 'For more, let's go to NBC's Andrea Mitchell.' / 'Thank you, Brian. Slut.'
Liz Lemon · Ritchie: Liz confronts Ritchie: 'I'm actually seeing someone, and he's never around because he's a pilot. His name is Carol.' / 'That sounds really fake.' / 'I know how it sounds.'
Liz Lemon: 'Oh. "Reallo"? I meant to say "really." I misspoke. Continue.'
Liz Lemon Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Ritchie · Liz Lemon: Ritchie confesses he's been lying about sleeping with Liz because he's in love with his assistant editor Donna — 'For seven years, I've been sitting close enough to touch her... but a million miles away.'
Kenneth Parcell: Kenneth answers the phone at Jack's residence: 'Hello. Parcell and a squatter's residence.'
Angie Jordan: Angie: 'Drugs during childbirth? Isn't the whole point feeling God punish you?'
Tracy Jordan: Tracy answers Cash Cab questions via absurd personal knowledge: 'The Lazy Susan was invented by Thomas Jefferson. I know, because I'm a descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Lazy Susan herself!'
Tracy Jordan: 'The capital of the United Arab Emirates is Abu Dhabi. I know that, because if I go back there, I'll be executed.'
Tracy Jordan Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Tracy Jordan: Tracy answers the chromatic scale question by singing it: '♪ I know that because I'm a musical genius ♪'
Jack Donaghy: Jack's DVD provides advice in rapid-fire non-sequiturs: 'This is how you throw a punch.' / 'And the tree was happy.' Shel Silverstein was a communist.' / 'And that is the art of camouflage.' / 'And this is how you make love to a woman. Aah!'
Tracy Jordan · Angie Jordan: Tracy arrives at the hospital, Angie says 'I knew you wouldn't let me down, baby.' Tracy: 'Of course not, woman. I'm your husband. Damn it! I got to go feed the meter.'
Ritchie · Liz Lemon: The fake breakup scene where Liz 'breaks up' with Ritchie in front of Donna — Ritchie lists his desirable qualities: 'a fully loaded Toyota Tercel,' 'a real pinball machine,' 'been to Canada... twice.'
Ritchie: 'Are you doing this to me because I don't share your love of unicorns?'
Liz Lemon: 'I guess some other woman will get to enjoy that water bed you're saving up for.'
Liz Lemon Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Tracy Jordan · Grizz · Dotcom: Tracy and his entourage can't open the hospital room door — extended bit about pulling vs. button, ending with 'Oh, it's upside down. My bad.'
Tracy Jordan · Angie Jordan: 'Why's that baby covered with goop?' / 'Because everything about this is disgusting.'
Jack Donaghy: Jack's DVD: 'Also, I have given a great deal of money to the Catholic Church and have been assured that I will have certain powers in heaven... sending messages through animals, for instance.'
Jack Donaghy Character Comedy Absurdist Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy: Jack's DVD: 'In the unlikely event that you encounter something not covered here, find a woman named Elizabeth Lemon, get her advice, and then do the opposite.'
Kenneth Parcell · Jack Donaghy: Kenneth announces he will reapply to the NBC page program 'following standard procedures for acceptance' — then when Jack says 'I really don't care,' Kenneth says 'I won't let you down, sir.'
Jack Donaghy: DVD interlude: 'Your ability to hide your true feelings is part of your great strength.'
Jack Donaghy Irony/Sarcasm Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Tracy Jordan: Tracy tells Jack: 'Jackie D, you want to make God laugh? Make a plan... or read him a Dave Barry book.'
Tracy Jordan · Angie Jordan · Jack Donaghy: The crib is empty — Tracy panics — and Angie says 'She's in the crib.' / 'Good.'
Avery Jessup · Jack Donaghy: Jack discovers it's a girl — 'That Russian skank read the ultrasound wrong.' — and Avery's first concern is 'spatial reasoning and upper-body strength.'
Tracy Jordan: Tracy searches the crib, can't find the baby: 'Wait a minute. There's no baby in here.' — then it turns out the baby is in the crib
Jack Donaghy: Jack's response to learning it's a girl: 'I hate to say I told you so... so welcome to Miami.'
Jack Donaghy · Liz Lemon: Jack says he needs to 'make new tapes' for a daughter — cut to his daughter DVD where he introduces Elizabeth Lemon as the life guide: 'Otherwise, I'd like to introduce you to Elizabeth Lemon.'
Liz Lemon: Liz's advice on the daughter DVD: 'Every human has hair on his or her face. Some of us just have more.' / 'If you're running low on laundry, a bathing suit makes perfectly acceptable underwear.' / 'Bandanas are a fun, sexy fashion accessory.'
Liz Lemon Character Comedy Escalation Observational ★ Rewatch Jack Donaghy · Liz Lemon: Jack immediately says 'This is over.' Liz: 'Let me give my reasons.' Jack: 'Put potato chips on a sandwich!'