What We Can Tell About The ’30 Rock’ Finale Based On 9 Guest Stars

Before we get to the 30 Rock guest star news, I want to mention that Tina Fey — who has a development deal with NBC for the next few years — is not about to kowtow to the new corporate policy on comedy: “Broader is Better!” Asked by The Hollywood Reporter yesterday what Fey thought about the new direction Robert Greenblatt is taking NBC’s sitcoms and if she could make a broader comedy, Fey responded:

“You know what? They’re wrong, and I’m going to wait that out,” Fey said. “What they want is hits, but no one knows what that is. Remember when Jeff Zucker was like: ‘I’ve got a new plan! We’re only going to make hits!’ [Laughs.] It’s hard. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t be a network exec.”

Smart move. Next year’s NBC President, who will inherit the job after Revolution’s inevitable crash and burn, may actually want smarter, niche comedies, with which NBC can better compete against cable. Who knows?

What we DO know is that the 30 Rock finale airs on January 31st, and as we learn of more and more returning characters, I think we can start to piece together the direction the finale is heading.

For instance, Will Arnett will be reappearing as Devon Banks. Jack Donaghy will ally with Devon in order to wrestle control of Kabletown away from Kaylie Hooper (Chloe Grace Moretz). Meanwhile, Steve Buscemi is also set to return, as Jack’s private investigator, who will undoubtedly be asked to investigate Kaylie Hooper on Jack and Devon’s behalf.

Moreover, we also know that Julianne Moore and Salma Hayek, both of whom have had lengthy romantic relationships with Jack, will also appear. I assume there will be a love triangle of sorts (although, I was kind of rooting for Edie Falco’s Congresswoman “C.C.” Cunningham to return), and Jack will have to choose with whom he wants to ride off into the sunset.

Tracy Jordan’s wrap-up will include Octavia Spencer, who will be the star of Tracy Jordan’s new movie. Ice T is also making a cameo, and I’m going to assume that’s either in Tracy Jordan’s movie OR in character as a Detective Fin Tutuola from Law & Order: SVU, brought in to arrest Tracy OR Jack, after Kaylie is found dead (real murderer: Steve Buscemi’s private dick character).

Meanwhile, Megan Mullally will also return; she last appeared in 2008 as Bev, who was overseeing Liz Lemon’s adoption, so perhaps we can assume that Liz finally gets that baby she’s always wanted?

Finally, Nancy Pelosi will appear as herself, either to moderate the Kabletown dispute, to fast-track Liz’s adoption, or as Jack Donaghy’s new love interest after he goes insane and turns down both Julianne Moore and Salma Hayek.

(Sources: TVLine and EW)