Episode '30 Rock' Season 5, Episode 14 - 'Double-Edged Sword' Recap

The title of this week's episode, "Double-Edged Sword," has a double application. First, in the cold open, Jack warns Liz that dating someone too similar to yourself can be a double-edged sword. Liz, it seems, is planning a romantic weekend with Carol, which could only mean one thing: it's Matt Damon time!

The second double-edged sword reference is in Tracy Jordan's storyline. Tracy now officially has his EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, for the uninitiated) but is finding that success isn't all it's cracked up to be as he is scheduled to speak at charity events and attend hoity-toity dinners. With a great cut-away to Tracy's acceptance speech, we're off.

Jack and Avery, meanwhile, have planned their own romantic getaway in Canada, but are shocked when Avery starts going into labor pains upon arriving at the hotel. Both are horrified when they realize that if their daughter is born in Canada, she will be--gasp--Canadian! Jokes are made at Canada's expense, some of them good, but a milk in a bag joke? Come on, 30 Rock, get it together! There has to be less-traveled ground in the world of Canada mockery.

Later, Liz finds herself in trouble as she announces to her fellow passengers that the captain is her boyfriend, only to suffer as the plane is delayed "about a half-hour" (many times). Matt Damon tears is up once again, with a little help from "Legends of the Guardian, the Owls of Ga'Hoole".

Jack and Avery make the realization that their similarity to each other is a double-edged sword, while probably also realizing that their storyline is playing third fiddle. Shouldn't Avery's labor be more exciting? The two can't get a plane due to cancellations, so they start to hitchhike.

More Matt Damon as Liz takes a list of demands from the passengers to Carol, who shoots them all down. Another funny scene, but trouble is brewing in Carol-land...could a break-up be brewing? Will this be the last of Matt Damon's sporadic appearances on 30 Rock? Say it ain't so, Matt!

A quick appearance from Pete Hornberger to drop a "Peter Principle" reference (look it up), then we're back to Jack and Avery, whose storyline gets a big boost with an appearance from John Cho! That's right, Harold is in the house! And he's hilarious as the driver of a super-shady "Breaking Bad"-style Winnebago that Jack and Avery climb aboard.

More Carol drama, and we're off to commercials. Back, and more John Cho, who delivers possibly the biggest laugh-out-loud line of the episode, while also dropping some knowledge on Jack. Nicely done, John.

My fears are realized after a hilarious and dramatic scene between Liz and Carol. It looks like this is the end of Matt Damon. Yet another amazing Liz Lemon boyfriend guest-star bites the dust, and Matt Damon joins Jon Hamm as one of the best on the show.

All in all, a pretty funny episode, if not a little imbalanced. But how can a Tracy Jordan/Kenneth storyline (which have been lacking of late anyway) compete with both Matt Damon and John Cho? It's just not fair.

Frank's hats of the week: None!