'30 Rock': Should next season be the show's last?

Confusion reigns over the fate of 30 Rock. This week, star Alec Baldwin, whose contract expires in 2012, unnerved fans by telling New York that next season would be the critically-acclaimed show's last. An NBC insider, however, insists that's malarkey, telling TV Line that "we have had no conversations about 30 Rock ending." Then, on Thursday, another twist: The news that Tina Fey, the show's creator and star, is pregnant, further fueling speculation that the end of 30 Rock is near. Is it time for the Emmy-winning comedy to retire its wit?

Please... no: "Blerg," says Mary Elizabeth Williams at Salon. 30 Rock is "one of the sharpest, boldest comedies on the air," and such a premature wrap-up would be a major loss for the show's relatively small but loyal audience. "What makes the show so vital and refreshing is that it's unlike anything else on the air." Don't go yet, 30 Rock.

"Is this the end of 30 Rock?"

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But maybe it's time: This is too bad, as the show seemed to be on an upswing of late, says Juli Weiner in Vanity Fair. But "it really is better to go out on top." And, on the bright side, there are a number of spinoff possibilities, from "Dealbreakers" to "Queen of Jordan."

"30 observations about 30 Rock ending"

Especially if Alec Baldwin is leaving: I know this sounds crazy, but "this is probably a good thing," says Meagan Kate at Punchline Magazine. Baldwin has long said that he plans to leave the show when his contract ends, and without him, "the show would lose its glue." The dynamic would be totally different, and "I shudder to imagine who they would try to replace Baldwin with." I'd rather they end it, lest it turn into "The Office."

"If Alec Baldwin leaves, it's best that 30 Rock just ends"