How Tracy Morgan’s new sequence “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” connects with “30 Rock”

As Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) as soon as declared on 30 Rock, "You’ll be able to’t combat synergy, Lemon." And the workforce behind that enduring line is proving that philosophy remains to be true with their new comedy sequence The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, because it's really related to 30 Rock.

Initially titled The Untitled Tracy Morgan Challenge, the brand new sequence brings again the workforce behind 30 Rock: co-creators Robert Carlock and Sam Means, and govt producer Tina Fey, collaborating with star Tracy Morgan as soon as once more for one more wacky NBC sitcom.

Morgan performs the titular disgraced NFL celebrity who was banned for all times from the league after unintentionally revealing he guess on his personal New York Jets video games. Reggie hires award-winning filmmaker Arthur Tobin (Daniel Radcliffe) to make a documentary about his life and profession within the hopes it is going to win again the respect of his followers, friends, and household, and in the end obtain his dream of moving into the Corridor of Fame regardless of the betting scandal. However he’ll should come clean with his previous errors first.

Radcliffe, who "grew up" watching 30 Rock, tells Leisure Weekly that all through filming he seen many various references to the Emmy-winning present within the dialogue, set ornament, and extra, which Carlock confirms deliberately hyperlink each exhibits.

"It'll be an actual take a look at for the folks of TikTok to see in the event that they, 1., discover the present on broadcast, and a couple of., if they will discover the 30 Rock Easter eggs," Fey tells EW with fun. "In that 30 Rock approach, there are issues threaded via your complete season so there's a number of rewards for paying consideration. That is just like the Severance of comedy."

Whereas Carlock doesn’t wish to spoil all of the shock Easter eggs, he can reveal one they shot over the last week of manufacturing.

"We simply had a scene the place they have been pouring Donaghy Estates champagne," Carlock says, referring to Jack's horrible glowing wine from the primary season of 30 Rock. "We requested our graphics and prop folks to hunt that down, which they did instantly, so we had Donaghy in there. I'd wish to reside in a world the place Kenneth Parcell [Jack McBrayer] is operating NBC as effectively, however which may not be for one more couple hundred years within the 30 Rock timeline, proper? We’re all the time making an attempt to do these little issues with out breaking every thing. However yeah, I'd wish to suppose that The Girly Present remains to be on, and it must be on their TV."

"Reggie simply occurs to look so much like Tracy Jordan," Means provides with fun.

The 2 showrunners proceed to riff on how they might clarify the uncanny similarities between Morgan’s two characters present in the identical world.

"In some unspecified time in the future, Tracy Jordan must be taking part in Reggie, however Reggie doesn't see the similarity," Carlock says. Within the extraordinarily distant future timeline of this prolonged TV universe, they wish to see Tracy Jordan play Reggie Dinkins in a story sports activities biopic tailored from his documentary that’s being created on this present (bought all that?).

"That's how Tracy Jordan wins his second Oscar," Means decides.

Fey, nevertheless, doesn’t consider followers should wait lengthy to see this potential meta crossover joke come to cross. "I hope this present runs lengthy sufficient that we get to that episode and Tracy's taking part in two elements, but when I do know Robert and Sam, that may be episode 2 of season 2," she says. "They're not going to attend till seasons 8 or 9."

For his half, Morgan doesn’t even wish to start to query how 30 Rock and Reggie Dinkins exist in the identical universe. "I don't know what's in Rob's head," he says. "I simply realize it's genius. It completely appears like we're again on the [30 Rock] set — I realized so much from Tina find out how to run a present, find out how to be on it, find out how to be the star, so yeah, it's the identical, however we don't look backwards. We solely look ahead."

Morgan already has plans for extra 30 Rock crossover sooner or later by getting his former costar and present govt producer Fey to make an onscreen look (she stays firmly behind the digicam for the primary season).

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"At some point when Tina makes an look, that'll be nice," he says. "I simply hope she does. Tina's my sister, and Rob is my brother— we bought Saturday Night time Reside collectively the identical 12 months. We've been working collectively for a very long time. I'm glad all of us bought again within the saddle once more."

Fey admits her sophisticated filming schedule for season 2 of her Netflix sequence 4 Seasons made it "inconceivable" to even make a cameo on Reggie Dinkins, which was in manufacturing on the identical time. "However I’d love to come back do one thing with Tracy," she says, earlier than including with fun, "by seasons 8 or 9."

Morgan is the explanation this 30 Rock reunion is even taking place within the first place, practically 13 years after it ended. "I didn't need 30 Rock to be over," he says, explaining that whereas he liked taking part in the unpredictable however well-meaning sketch comedy star Tracy Jordan reverse Fey’s frazzled head author Liz Lemon for seven seasons, it was the real-life group of the present he missed much more.

So slightly than reviving or rebooting 30 Rock, he went to Fey, Carlock, and Means in January 2024 with the hopes of getting the band again collectively for a very new sequence. And the inventive workforce was equally thrilled to study that Morgan wished to make a brand new present with them and be again on NBC in "an old-fashioned approach," Carlock says.

"I've labored on every thing these guys have carried out since 30 Rock," Means says. "And I'm simply holding firmly to their coattails as I am going via this life."

"He's ruining my coattails. They're very nice coattails," Carlock quips, earlier than persevering with critically. "We actually at one level on 30 Rock had [Morgan's] character learn the telephone e book, and it was simply so humorous. We simply love writing for him, and we thought constructing a world round him can be a number of enjoyable."

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After they completed manufacturing on season 1, Fey acknowledged how Radcliffe developed a "deep love" for Morgan, paying homage to the way in which she did over seven seasons on 30 Rock.

"When the top of the season got here, I despatched Dan a observe and I used to be like, 'You and I now have a shared deep understanding of Tracy Morgan,'" Fey says. "I really feel like his character and Liz Lemon have so much in frequent in that approach."

Perhaps Radcliffe's character additionally has an analogous affinity for engaged on his night time cheese.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins premieres Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

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