The Problem Solvers
According to the Nielsen ratings system, the episode was watched by 5.8 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.9 rating/7 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic.
In the previous episode, Danny was hired by Jack from his work as a street performer who dressed up like a robot and had very limited recent experience with "real acting".
She is initially excited, but Tracy Jordan and Jenna Maroney convince her to test the market and search for other offers before agreeing to work with Jack.
[9] Jack Donaghy hiring the robot street performer in the previous episode, "Audition Day", was first introduced in the fourth season premiere episode "Season 4", in which Jack explains that the TGS staff have become too elitist and need to change to survive in tough economic times, and informs Liz Lemon—the head writer on TGS—to begin searching for a new cast member to help lessen this elitist image.
Series creator, executive producer and lead actress Tina Fey had seen Jackson in the Broadway musicals Xanadu and Damn Yankees, the latter that starred Jane Krakowski, who plays Jenna Maroney on the show.
[15] In a November 2009 interview with Tulsa World, Fadem admitted to "[flubbing] a couple lines" during filming, but that no one on the set "made me feel bad.
Some reviewers noted the similarity to the real show Around the Horn,[19][20] an ESPN program which also features four panelists discussing sports in a competitive setting.
A. Adande, a frequent panelist on Around the Horn, said through his Twitter page "Sports Shouting now tops 'Werewolf Bar Mitzvah' as my favorite 30 Rock gag.
"[22] referring to a cooking reality television show Lakshmi hosts which Liz had previously shown a taste for in the season two episode "Cougars".
[27] In the episode "Into the Crevasse", Liz's book is published, but receives backlash from men close to her, as they believe her advice damaged their relationships.
He cited that the Liz and Jack characters on opposing sides "was not as much fun as seeing them working together", and that Jenna and Tracy's antics throughout the series have been "funny most of the time", though "very little clicked in this episode.
"[20] Sean Gandert of Paste magazine called the episode the "best so far in the season" but admitted he was "disappointed in it" for not coming "close to greatness and we all know [30 Rock's] done it before and can do it again."
[2] Bob Sassone of AOL's TV Squad noted that he liked how Jack and Liz interacted throughout the episode, and enjoyed their meeting at the Rockefeller Center at the end.
"If there's been a better episode for Kenneth in 30 Rock history, I'd love to know: From the backwards-talking to the bizarre fury, this was Jack McBrayer's finest (half) hour.
"[34] Nick Catucci of New York magazine wrote that this was a "fine" episode "with Jenna and Tracy in classic dopey-duo form and a couple of great fantasy bits ...
"[35] Meredith Blake, a contributor for the Los Angeles Times, said that she was looking forward to Lakshmi's cameo, but after the airing, "her scene fell a little flat."
