| "The Natural Order" | |
|---|---|
| 30 Rock episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 20 |
| Directed by | Scott Ellis |
| Written by | Tina Fey John Riggi |
| Production code | 320 |
| Original air date | April 30, 2009 |
| Guest appearances | |
"The Natural Order" is the twentieth episode of the third season of the American television comedy show 30 Rock. It was written by series creator Tina Fey with co-executive producer John Riggi and directed by Scott Ellis. The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 30, 2009. Guest stars in "The Natural Order" include actors Elaine Stritch and Steve Buscemi.
The plot of the episode centers around a conflict between Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) and Liz Lemon (Fey) over favorable treatment. Meanwhile, Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) adopts a gibbon and treats it like her child. Finally, Jack Donaghy's (Alec Baldwin) mother Colleen (Stritch) visits him on the 35th anniversary of the day that Jack's father left the family.
"The Natural Order" received mixed reception from television critics. According to the Nielsen ratings system, it was watched by 6 million households during its original broadcast, and received a 2.7 rating/7 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic.