30 Rock has been one of the best comedies on TV for the past seven years for a whole host of reasons, but chief among them is its use of guest stars and recurring characters. It’s impressive enough that Tina Fey and Friends (that’s what she should name her new production company with NBC Universal) have been able to track down the star power that they have (Paul McCartney! Oprah! Al Gore!), but it’s been markedly more impressive how well they’ve used them.
After carefully sifting through past episodes and this very helpful 30 Rock wiki page, we’ve estimated that 30 Rock has featured 35 recurring characters (characters who have appeared in two or more episodes but never received star billing) and 81 one-time guest stars. This means that you were far more likely to tune in to an episode of 30 Rock that featured a guest star than an episode that didn’t feature anybody.
Now with only two days(!) until the series finale, we decided it was time to honor those ubiquitous 30 Rock guests. We’ve split them into two top 10 lists: one honoring actors who played recurring characters on the show and one featuring actors or celebrities who only appeared once. It’s a testament to how strong the show’s guests were that you’ll be incensed with some of the characters we had to leave out.
Recurring Characters
10. Dr. Drew Baird – Jon Hamm
The first of many love interests to appear on this list. Jon Hamm’s charisma would be enough to make this list alone, but Dr. Drew Baird went the extra mile as a character by introducing us to the mythical bubble.
9. Avery Jessup – Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks is the consummate guest star. She has a history of turning up on a show, effortlessly fitting in with its tone, then getting out before anyone could possibly get tired of her. Avery Jessup is no different as Jack’s double-edged sword.
8. Carol Burnett – Matt Damon
Speaking of double-edged swords, here’s Liz’s! Kudos to Damon for sticking with a show that was undoubtedly well below his pay grade. And extra kudos for being part of one of the show’s best ever scenes.
7. Kaylie Hooper – Chloe Grace Moretz
Of everyone on this list, Kaylie Hooper may not be the absolute best character, but there is probably not a better performance than the one turned in by Chloe Moretz. Rewatch her debut appearance in “TGS Hates Women” and marvel at how convincing Hooper is as both innocent and sinister.
6. Kim Jong-Il – Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho’s Kim Jong-Il is so good that she somehow received an Emmy nomination despite having about two total minutes of screen time. She also received the coveted honor of naming this list. Everything sunny all the time always, indeed, Kim Jong-Il.
5. Paul L’astname – Will Forte
It would have taken a special character to force Jenna Maroney to settle down and Paul L’astname a.k.a. Mr. Jenna Maroney certainly fits the bill.
4. Devon Banks – Will Arnett
Most shows haven’t known what to do with Will Arnett post-Arrested Development (looking at you, Running Wilde and Up All Night) but 30 Rock knew exactly what to do with Gob Bluth from the get-go: make him someone’s nemesis, better yet, a gay nemesis obsessed with a certain NBC page.
3. Dennis Duffy – Dean Winters
“Hey dummy.”
2. Angie Jordan – Sherri Shepherd
Tracy’s loving wife says “ham” better than anyone on this list and that would be good enough for the #1 spot, if it weren’t for one man…
1. Dr. Leo Spaceman – Chris Parnell
The amazing part about Dr. Leo Spacemen is that you get the sense he only existed as a character just to make one joke abut his name. Seriously, after rewatching “Tracy Does Conan” it seems like the original joke was merely just an increasingly insane Tracy asking for “Dr. Spaceman” and Liz being surprised at actually finding a drug bottle with that name on it. Then Chris Parnell steps in and just turns him into an absolute legend. He appears in 25 episodes, which is just the perfect amount of Spaceman without his schtick getting tired. “That’s a series wrap on Leo Spaceman, suckers!”
One-Appearance Guest Stars
10. Jon Bon Jovi – himself
Jon Bon may not appear onscreen long but he does make a big enough impression for a drugged-out Liz Lemon to mistake him for a houseplant. And that houseplant acts its butt off.
9. James Franco – himself
Any appearance by actor-turned-famous college student-turned bizarre poet James Franco has to be at least a little weird. Thankfully a Franco in love with a Japanese body pillow fits the bill.
8. Jerry Seinfeld – himself
Way back in season 2, Jerry Seinfeld seemed like the biggest guest star 30 Rock would score and the appearance feels appropriately grand. We wonder how much longer it will take for NBC to institute Seinfeld-vision.
7. Octavia Spencer – herself
The best part about Spencer’s recent appearance is that absolutely no one could have seen it coming. A respected nominee turning out to be a female version of Tracy Jordan? Brilliant.
6. Steve Martin – Gavin Volure
Steve Martin playing a character as gloriously named as “Gavin Volure” would have been enough to crack any list. Thankfully, the added wrinkle of his fake agoraphobia-turned-house arrest perfectly reflected Liz Lemon’s own lifestyle for a hilarious twist.
5. Jim Carrey – Leap Day Williams
Now that 30 Rock is over, let’s hope Tina Fey has the time to actually cast Jim Carrey in a real Leap Day Williams movie.
4. Oprah Winfrey – Liz’s Oprah hallucination
Oprah is such an enormous get for any sitcom that it’s appropriate that she turns out to be an hallucination (Liz really seems to have a lot of those). That must be how the cast and crew actually felt day in and day out with Winfrey on set. Is this really happening or is she really just a 12-year-old girl on a plane named Pam?
3. Carrie Fisher – Rosemary Howard
“Help me Liz Lemon, you’re my only hope!” Magic.
2. Kelsey Grammar – himself
If NBC really did have a Winston Wolf-style fixer on retainer, you just know it would be Frasier Krane himself, Kelsey Grammar. Grammar is one of the best examples of how deliciously and hilariously absurd 30 Rock could be in its later seasons. If a plotline culminates with Kelsey Grammar putting on Lincoln’s tophat and muttering “if anyone notices…we’re dead,” then you’ve clearly done your job as a comedy writer.
1. James Carville – himself
Sometimes you wonder how James Carville remained a pseudo pop culture icon well after his political campaigns in the ’90s were long over. Then you watch his gleefully weird appearance in season 2’s “Secrets and Lies” and it becomes apparent: the dude is just really funny. Carville roaming the halls of 30 Rock, fixing people’s problems by injecting a little “cajun style” remains a series highlight.