Cooter is the fifteenth and final episode of the second season of the American television sitcom 30 Rock, and the thirty‑sixth episode of the series overall. The episode was written by series creator Tina Fey and directed by Don Scardino. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 8 2008.
The episode’s title refers to the word “cooter,” which Fey has described as “one of the least graphic ways to describe the female genitals.” Guest star Matthew Broderick appears as Cooter Burger, a young bureaucrat at the Department of Homeland Security who assists Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) in a scheme to get himself fired. Other notable guest appearances include Edie Falco as Congresswoman C. C. Cunningham, Dean Winters as Dennis Duffy, and Paul Scheer as Donny Lawson.
Plot
Jack Donaghy, newly appointed “Homeland Security Director for Crisis and Weather Management,” finds the position unsatisfying and, after learning that GE CEO Don Geiss uttered “Jackie Boy” while in a coma, conspires with fellow employee Cooter Burger to engineer his dismissal. Their plan involves promoting an absurd “gay bomb” research project, hoping the Pentagon will reject it and thereby terminate their employment.
Simultaneously, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) experiences a pregnancy scare and believes the potential child may be fathered by her ex‑boyfriend Dennis Duffy (Dean Winters). After multiple tests, she learns the positive results were caused by consuming a cheese‑puff snack containing bull semen, and she ultimately decides she would like to adopt a child.
Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) works to complete the world’s first pornographic video game, while Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) attempts to become an NBC page for the Beijing Olympics, facing a series of Olympic‑themed obstacles orchestrated by his rival Donny Lawson.
The episode concludes with a three‑month time jump: Jack and Cooter present the “gay bomb” to the Pentagon, which functions only in enclosed spaces, rendering it ineffective; the bomb accidentally releases its effects on Vice President Dick Cheney and others. Tracy’s pornographic game has been played incessantly for months, and Kenneth’s Olympic page‑application ends with a comedic Mandarin‑language encounter involving a woman who expresses interest in his kidneys.
Production
“Cooter” was produced as the unofficial season finale after the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike shortened the season’s episode order. The episode marks the final appearance of Edie Falco, who portrayed Congresswoman C. C. Cunningham in a three‑episode arc. Matthew Broderick’s cameo as Cooter Burger was highlighted by critics for his comedic performance.
Reception
On its original broadcast, “Cooter” was viewed by approximately 5.6 million American households and earned a 2.6 rating/7 share in the 18‑49 demographic. Critics responded positively, with several ranking the episode among the series’ best. Reviewers praised the episode’s humor, the integration of guest talent, and the interplay of multiple storylines. The episode received two award nominations, winning one.