20 Years Ago: Tina Fey Launched One Of NBC's Most Acclaimed Sitcoms

Tina Fey's work as an actor, writer, and producer has earned her 10 Emmy Awards from an astounding 46 nominations, and she earned statuettes in all three roles for a hit sitcom that debuted 20 years ago, in October 2006. In 2008, Fey won best actress in a comedy for playing Liz Lemon on "30 Rock" while sharing series wins for best writing and best comedy as a writer and executive producer.

We're not the only ones on record loving this show — we put "30 Rock" at No. 1 on our list of the best sitcoms of all time, and it recently earned the No. 8 spot on The New York Times' list of the best shows of the 21st century. Much of that respect is owed to the powerhouse cast alongside Fey. Five other actors appeared alongside her in all 139 episodes: Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer, Scott Adsit, and Judah Friedlander. Jane Krakowski's Jenna Moroney also appeared in every episode that made it to air, although a different character named Jenna DeCarlo (Rachel Dratch) appeared in the unaired pilot. "30 Rock" was both an oh-so-thinly-veiled parody of and an homage to "Saturday Night Live," where Fey served as head writer from 1999 through 2006.

Fey left SNL at the end of Season 31, and "30 Rock" officially debuted five months later. "30 Rock" was almost a different show, about a news program rather than a send-up of SNL, and it earned plenty more Emmy consideration beyond Fey's impressive haul. The series won 16 Emmys from over 100 nominations, earning multiple best comedy wins along with statuettes for writing, editing, sound mixing, and casting. Not only did Fey's "SNL" experience provide the inspiration for the show, but many people important to its production came from "SNL" to "30 Rock" along with her.

"SNL" producer Lorne Michaels came to "30 Rock" in that same capacity, and some of the show's on-screen talent made that same move. Tracy Morgan left "SNL" in 2003 as a bit player, and three years later, he was the star on "30 Rock." He currently stars on "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins" on NBC, a mockumentary created by "30 Rock" producer Robert Carlock and writer Sam Means and executive produced by Tina Fey. In a panel discussion about his new series for a SAG-AFTRA fundraiser, Morgan singled out that trio as making his time on the show memorable and showed appreciation for the chance to work with them again on "Reggie Dinkins," which has been renewed for Season 2. 

"I've made beautiful music with Sam and Rob and Tina," he said. "So, they already know my voice. ... And I just thank them for believing in me and giving me a shot again because '30 Rock' was some of the greatest times in my life." The time between "30 Rock" and "Reggie Dinkins" has been challenging for Morgan — in 2014, Morgan was riding in a limo van on the New Jersey Turnpike with comedian Jimmy McNair and at least three others when their vehicle was rear-ended by a truck.

McNair died in the wreck; Morgan was in a coma for two weeks and broke multiple bones, including a fractured femur that made it necessary for him to use a wheelchair for five months. Fey says Morgan's energy is as infectious as ever after the accident, and she relishes being with him on set. In an interview for Entertainment Weekly's 2026 preview, she said, "Tracy's literally happy to be alive. ... He's just such a wonderful presence to be around, and I've really missed him."