| "Cutbacks" | |
|---|---|
| 30 Rock episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 17 |
| Directed by | Gail Mancuso |
| Written by | Matt Hubbard |
| Production code | 317 |
| Original air date | April 9, 2009 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Cutbacks" is the 17th episode of the third season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock, and the 53rd episode of the series overall. It was written by supervising producer Matt Hubbard and directed by Gail Mancuso. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 9, 2009. Guest stars in this episode include Roger Bart, Todd Buonopane, and Don Pardo.
In the episode, joy about the fiftieth episode for the fictitious show The Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan (TGS) turns to worry when word spreads about imminent budget cuts at the 30 Rock workplace. Before long, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) must fire several employees to save money, NBC page Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) takes on new responsibilities, and Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) wheels and deals to spare her staffers from layoffs. Meanwhile, Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) and Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) suspect that Kenneth is masking a deep dark secret. This episode of 30 Rock featured a number of cultural references to the legal crime thriller film The Pelican Brief (1993), and Liz Lemon parodying Steve Jobs's attire while giving a presentation.
"Cutbacks" has received generally positive reception from television critics. According to the Nielsen ratings system, the episode was watched by 6.8 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 3.1 rating/8 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic.