Summary
- Jack Donaghy’s character from 30 Rock was almost the star of a spin-off series, ultimately replaced by Ted Danson in Mr. Mayor.
- 30 Rock’s spin-off idea faced challenges with Baldwin dropping out and low ratings, leading to Mr. Mayor being canceled after two seasons.
- Despite fan enthusiasm for a Donaghy-centered show, NBC’s comedies have struggled to match past viewer numbers in recent years.
When one thinks of iconic sitcoms of the 2000s and early 2010s, 30 Rock almost always comes to mind at the top of the list. From the mind of Tina Fey, the series was loosely based on her time as head writer on Saturday Night Live. Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer, Jane Krakowski, and many more rounded out the eclectic cast. Though the series struggled in the ratings over its seven-season run, it remained a critical and audience darling until the end. The 2013 series finale in particular was named as one of the greatest sitcom enders of all time.
While we’re still waiting for a reboot, the cast did produce a virtual reunion episode in 2020 to promote the launch of Peacock. However, roughly half of NBC’s affiliate stations did not show the special due to its blatant promotion of streaming over linear TV. Ironically, that special is currently not even available on Peacock. But what if that wasn’t the only new 30 Rock content we were given? In 2019, there were discussions of reviving Alec Baldwin’s Jack Donaghy character in a new spin-off series. While Baldwin dropped out, that show did make it to air in 2021 as the Ted Danson-led Mr. Mayor. So what happened?
Who Is Jack Donaghy?
30 Rock
- Release Date
- October 11, 2006
- Seasons
- 7
- Creator
- Tina Fey
Alec Baldwin was easily the highest-profile star attached when 30 Rock debuted in 2006. Donaghy soon became a viewer favorite, with his staunch conservative values and desire for wealth and power as a character hallmark. He holds several job titles throughout the show, including GE Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming, President of both NBC and Telemundo, Chairman of General Electric, Arby’s franchise owner, and many others. Jack also mentions dating a number of famous women, such as Condoleeza Rice, Beyoncé, Martha Stewart, Shakira, and Katie Couric.
Baldwin’s portrayal of Jack landed him multiple Emmys, Golden Globes, and SAG awards. Building a spin-off around this character and Baldwin’s then-star power was an obvious choice, yet it didn’t have the smoothest road to development.
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Baldwin’s Spin-off and Replacement with Ted Danson
In 2019, NBC ordered a comedy from Fey and creative partner Robert Carlock featuring Ted Danson as a businessman running for mayor of Los Angeles. Soon after that announcement, it was revealed that the new sitcom was originally set to be a spin-off of 30 Rock. Baldwin would have reprised the role of Jack Donaghy as the character explores his political ambitions in New York City. The politically-minded Donaghy was a natural choice to lead this new show, and he likely would have carried over most of his iconic 30 Rock traits. Things were serious, as Baldwin was in negotiations for the role for over a year.
Baldwin dropped out of consideration for unknown reasons, though he would eventually reprise Jack in the 2020 virtual special. After Baldwin’s exit, the show turned to Ted Danson, fresh off his star turn on The Good Place. Danson did not want to relocate to New York, so the setting was moved to Los Angeles. The new character of Neil Bremer, a retired ad executive who runs for mayor, was created for Danson. It’s easy to see the Donaghy similarities right there. This shift wasn’t unprecedented, as Parks and Recreation was originally conceived as a spin-off of The Office before becoming its own thing.
Mr. Mayor earned lukewarm critical reviews and middling ratings and was ultimately canceled in 2022 after just two seasons. Ted Danson was praised for his leading role, but would a connection to 30 Rock have helped Mr. Mayor enjoy a longer lifespan?
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Would We Have Seen a 30 Rock Renaissance?
NBC has a mixed track record when it comes to spin-offs. Sometimes they rival the original in terms of run and critical reception, a la Frasier and Cheers. Other times we get Joey after Friends. While continuing the 30 Rock world would have certainly boosted the series’ name recognition, there’s no guarantee it would have matched the quality. Spin-offs are always judged relative to their parent show, and the Jack Donaghy spin-off would have a difficult time standing on its own.
Viewership at the beginning would have certainly been high. It likely couldn’t have kept those high numbers, through no fault of its own. NBC comedies have historically been some of the lowest-rated series on television. It doesn’t matter the show, the timeslot, the promotion, whatever. This has been a problem since the mid-2000s, even with their stacked lineup including 30 Rock, The Office, Parks and Rec, Community, and others. After dominating the ’90s with tens of millions of viewers for Seinfeld, Friends, and Cheers, the Peacock net has struggled to recapture those glory days. In fact, in terms of total viewers, their comedies today do about the same as the ones five or ten years ago. Even with the 30 Rock link, it’s unlikely that Mr. Mayor would have broken this curse. It may have run longer than two seasons, but we can’t say for sure. There’s also the matter of Baldwin’s 2021 Rust incident, which would have derailed things anyway assuming it still happened in this alternate timeline.
There’s no doubt that 30 Rock fans would have loved to see the world continue with a new spin-off series. However, any discussions on its quality, lifespan, or TV ratings remain speculative. There are just so many unknowns in this business. But maybe someday down the line, we’ll get a full reboot of the gang from TGS.
30 Rock is available to stream on Hulu and Peacock.
