30 Rock returning for one-hour special episode next month

Seven years after it went off the air, beloved TV comedy 30 Rock is returning for a one-off special – and it’s airing next month.

They’ll do it – but only for the attention.

Tina Fey’s beloved comedy series 30 Rock, which bowed out in 2013 after seven seasons on the air, is making a surprise comeback next month for a one-off special.

Airing July 16 in the US, the special will feature returning cast members Fey (playing Liz Lemon), Alec Baldwin (Jack Donaghy), Tracy Morgan (Tracy Jordan), Jane Krakowski (Jenna Maroney), Jack McBrayer (Kenneth Parcell) and more, reprising their roles from the beloved TV show.

And what to expect from this hour-long, one-off special? Variety reports that the “remotely produced event will also double as an upfront special for the NBCUniversal properties”.

The cast of 30 Rock circa 2011.

The special will see 30 Rock’s character’s plugging “the stories and talent featured in NBCUniversal’s 2020-21 television season,” the network said in a statement to Variety.

Fans on social media are excited by the news – although some have noted this network cross-promotion is exactly the sort of thing 30 Rock’s network boss Jack Donaghy would have foisted onto an unhappy Liz Lemon. (This special writes itself, huh?)

Making 30 Rock characters shill for NBC/Peacock is, unfortunately, perfect #synergy https://t.co/hxlz3cHMUn

— Caroline Darya Framke (@carolineframke) June 16, 2020

Me, celebrating tonight at the news of #OneMore30Rock @30Rock
Thank you guys. We all really, really needed this. pic.twitter.com/IsExwpXpey

— Kelly N. Hodges (@KellyHodgey) June 16, 2020

The most mind-meltingly meta instance of "Everything Is 30 Rock" that could ever be pic.twitter.com/fdCByhWCsx

— Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse) June 16, 2020

30 Rock is reuniting in the name of corporate synergy and branded content. Insert meta joke here. https://t.co/3w839KdKEB pic.twitter.com/yih9rLEqUW

— Sean L. McCarthy (@thecomicscomic) June 16, 2020

#onemore30rock coming back as a “corporate synergy” heavy special during a pandemic (and everything else 2020) is incredibly on brand for the show.

If it were any other show right now, I’d be uninterested. https://t.co/kmNuOaln0G pic.twitter.com/LgijMqJ92o

— CJ V (@wx_freak) June 16, 2020

30 Rock coming back for a special for NBC’s upfront to advertisers seems like something Jack would make Liz do during an episode of 30 Rock. https://t.co/x1YddOpbVi

— Frank Pallotta (@frankpallotta) June 16, 2020

No word yet on whether this could turn into a fully-fledged reboot for the show – and no word on a local air date, either. All seven seasons of 30 Rock are available to stream locally on new streaming service BINGE – sign up for a two-week trial at binge.com.au (how’s that for synergy, Lemon).