There Ain't No Party Like a Liz Lemon Party

February 23, 2012 8:24 PM

Can't believe I'm using a question for this, but -- 30 Rock filter: Why doesn't Grizz ever have any lines anymore?

Okay, I've worked in production for years so I certainly know the difference between speaking roles, non-speaking roles, background, etc etc. I know they can pay him less when he doesn't speak. And yet...

Grizz and DotCom used to have the same amount of lines, basically. And the characters operated as a team. But then Grizz...just. Stopped. Talking. Yet he's still there! Why?!?

AARGH!

Lemon out.

posted by BlahLaLa to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

I can't answer this. I can only say I noticed for the last couple of seasons that the storylines of side characters (Pete, the writers, and Grizz/Dotcom) dropped off considerably. It saddened me as well. To quote Jack, maybe they just weren't testing well in the most important demographic: soccer moms, NASCAR dads, white collar pervs and the obese.

To mix metaphors, I think the writers really Britta'd this one.
posted by therewolf at 9:43 PM on February 23, 2012 [5 favorites]

May or may not be the reason, but the actor who plays Grizz had a kidney transplant in 2010, so possibly his participation had to be limited for health reasons... And then it just stuck? (I miss the Grizz/Liz flirtation myself)
posted by marylynn at 9:47 PM on February 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I love your answers so far, but I just dont think they explain it-- he's THERE! He's in the two-shot, he's moving around (I know about his kidney transplant)....but he just never speaks. Even Cerie had multiple lines tonight, Twofer, Lutz...but Grizz just never, ever speaks. Even though he's there. Aargh.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:59 PM on February 23, 2012

Send him a tweet, yo!
posted by amanda at 11:03 PM on February 23, 2012 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: I don't know about this newfangled tweet stuff. Anybody else want to do it and report back? Pretty please?
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:46 AM on February 24, 2012

Grizz did have a line in last night's episode: "We really got to get all the furniture out of here?"
posted by Knappster at 9:59 AM on February 24, 2012

Response by poster: OMG, you're right! How could I have missed it? Still, I think that's his one and only line from this season.
posted by BlahLaLa at 10:42 AM on February 24, 2012

OK, so I've been burning through this on Netflix the last few months, and I'm only caught up through the middle of season 5. But my general impression is that Dot Com has about twice as many lines as Grizz. That being said, I have noticed a drop-off in lines for both of them the first half of season 5. Great question though -- I love those guys. Props to amanda for the Twitter link!
posted by Shoggoth at 11:18 AM on February 24, 2012 [1 favorite]