Alias on 30 Rock [30 Rock]

Liz Lemon's Intensity Would
Probably Scare Sydney Bristow

Lately, I have been very much obsessed with both 30 Rock and Alias. At Tableau your mind, we have been writing a lot about 30 Rock because the series finale is airing this Thursday, and we've been thinking about Alias because the stars of the show have been everywhere this awards season. Alias also recently became available on Netflix Instant, which means my Facebook mini-feed is full of people discovering the show for the first time.  It got me thinking about how much the two shows relate to one another (and it's not just because both Sydney Bristow and Liz Lemon subvert Rikke Schubart's ideals of the female action hero as Mother, Daughter, Rape-Avenger, and Dominatrix, amirite?). While 30 Rock has certainly spent more time referencing LOST, the writers/casting agents do show a certain affinity for Alias.

In honor of both shows, I would like to highlight some of the few 30 Rock moments that took me right back to my favorite times with super-spy Sydney Bristow:

Good News, Everybody! [A New Hope]

Hey Tableau Your Mind readers. We know that it's been a tough few weeks. Amy Poehler and Will Arnett announced that they were separating. Michael Clarke Duncan died. It's the anniversary of 9/11. Chris Brown still exists. The Olympics are over.

Still, all hope is not lost. We combed the internet, looking for some good pop culture news to make you feel better, to give you hope in a world seemingly bereft of kindness and love. And let's just say that we definitely found some gems:

Amy Poehler and Will Arnett Separate [Lost Hope]

Amy Poehler and Will Arnett announced today that they are officially separating after 9 years of marriage. They have ceased being a 'we' and will now only be a 'she' and a 'he.'

In other news, children can no longer laugh, Michael Clarke Duncan is dead, Chris Brown won a VMA, and everything else is pretty much the worst.

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain.