30 Rock is cemented as one of my favorite shows of all time. I believe it was the quirky dynamic between all the varying characters and an amazing writing staff that were essential in the success and longevity of the show. The dynamic between characters like Liz Lemon, Jack Donaghy, Jenna Maroney, Kenneth Parcell, and Tracy Jordan were and always entertaining and you got the feel that they genuinely liked working with one another. Which brings me to the actual content itself, when discussing double standards I feel like there was no better show in highlighting the ridiculousness and reality of double standards than 30 Rock. Liz and Jack were always playing off one another in a way that allowed them to highlight certain issues through the fragile yet pompous nature of their characters. A clear cut example of this is in a piece of dialogue from Liz Lemon in season 4 episode 10, "No I won't calm down! Women are allowed to get angrier than men about double standards." Once again highlighting the ridiculousness and reality of the situation openly and honestly, which makes the audience laugh but also reciprocate a sense of agreement. Another example of a double standard is when Jenna doesn't get the part in a production because she "wasn't pretty enough" due to an accident and they cast an "ugly" man instead, hence reaffirming the double standard of women having to rely on their looks and men not. Always working to keep the audience on their toes, with its excellent character work and screenwriting 30 Rock is and always will be an absolute comedic gem.
The couple of episodes that I've watched of 30 Rock were absolutely hilarious and well written. Though I cannot recall the episode you're referring to, it sounds like this episode described double standards very well. Double standards are prevalent in our country and usually benefit men more than women. I feel that gender roles have something to do with our plethora of double standards. It is a woman's gender role to be a stay at home mom. Therefore, it is okay for a woman to stay at home but not okay for a man. Vice versa, it is a man's gender role to be the bread winner and if a woman is the bread winner it is a problem.
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