Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Is Alec Baldwin hinting at the end of '30 Rock'?

Frederic J. Brown / AFP - Getty Images

Alec Baldwin shows off his SAG Award on Sunday, Jan. 29.

By Susan C. Young, TODAY.com contributor

After Alec Baldwin gleefully picked up his sixth straight Screen Actors Guild Award for his role as "30 Rock" boss Jack Donaghy on Sunday,?he was already busy pitching himself to another sitcom.

According to the LA Times blog, Baldwin told fellow nominees Ty Burrell and Eric Stonstreet of "Modern Family," "You know my show is almost over ... I'm actually pitching myself to you guys."

But is his show almost over?

Last fall NBC negotiated a two-year contract for him that would keep him on the show this season and next?-- if the sitcom continues.

(FYI, TODAY.com is powered by msnbc.com, which is a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC Universal.)

The 2011 season finished with "30 Rock" almost even in the ratings with the now-canceled "Outsourced," and this season has not seen a dramatic jump in viewers for the sitcom. Indeed, NBC head of entertainment, Robert Greenblatt, inherited a shaky house when he took over the reins about a year ago, and he knows he needs to shape up the schedule to try to?improve the network's ratings.

But could nuking "30 Rock" early be part of that restructuring?

Greenblatt told TODAY.com he hasn't decided yet if he even wants the comedy on his schedule. "I'll decide by the May upfront," he told us.

It's possible the show -- which has so far survived thanks to its numerous awards and critical praise -- may not have the needed viewers to stay on the schedule for the full renewal.

One thing's for sure: Greenblatt seems to have a?limited tolerance for low performers. When asked why he opted to chop "Chuck" and burn off the episodes quickly, including last Friday's double-header finale, he told us, "Have you seen the ratings on 'Chuck? Those rabid fans going crazy on the net didn't come to church. 'Chuck's' time had come."

"Chuck's" finale averaged 4.2 million viewers on Friday, while "30 Rock" grabbed 4.1 million in its timeslot Thursday.

Do you watch "30 Rock" regularly? Think the show should go on? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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Source: http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/30/10272292-is-alec-baldwin-hinting-at-the-end-of-30-rock

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