Ep 12. Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning

In 30 Rock season 5 episode 12, titled Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning, the show follows Liz, Jack, and the rest of the TGS crew as they attempt to salvage the network's troubled Kabletown merger with NBC. The merger has caused chaos for everyone involved, but Jack has a plan to save the day.

The episode kicks off with Liz struggling to come up with a comedy sketch to pitch to the network brass. The stress of the merger and her attempts to balance work with her personal life have left her creatively drained. Meanwhile, Jack is in a meeting with Kabletown executives, trying to convince them to continue their investment in NBC.

Things take a turn when Jack is interrupted by a call from the network's page program, who informs him that the Kabletown building has been taken over by a group of religious activists. The group, which calls itself Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning, holds conservative Christian views and takes issue with the "godless liberal media" of NBC and its affiliates.

Jack sees an opportunity to turn the situation to his advantage. He decides to use the group's occupation of the Kabletown building to his advantage, setting up a live TV special that will showcase the group's views and give him a chance to appeal to their conservative base.

Liz is hesitant to go along with Jack's plan, but eventually gets on board after realizing that it's the only way to save the merger. She sets to work on writing a sketch that will appeal to the Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning (ORCL) group, and enlists the help of TGS head writer Frank to come up with some religious-themed jokes.

Meanwhile, ORCL leader Reverend Gary (played by guest star Rob Corddry) begins to grow suspicious of Jack's motives. He starts to push back against Jack's attempts to control the narrative, and demands that the live TV special include some of his own content.

Things come to a head when Liz's sketch kicks off the live TV special. The ORCL members are initially pleased with the skit, which features Tracy Jordan in a Bible-themed parody of the show Law & Order. But when Jack tries to cut to commercial, Reverend Gary takes over the broadcast and starts making his own demands.

The situation quickly spirals out of control, with ORCL members taking hostages and threatening to blow up the Kabletown building. Jack tries to reason with Reverend Gary, but it quickly becomes clear that the situation is beyond his control.

In the end, Liz is able to defuse the situation by coming up with a creative solution that appeals to Reverend Gary's ego. The crisis is averted, and the merger between NBC and Kabletown is saved.

Overall, Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning is a hilarious and insightful episode that pokes fun at both the conservative Christian movement and the media's attempts to pander to them. The guest appearance by Rob Corddry is a standout, and the tension-filled scenes in the Kabletown building keep viewers on the edge of their seats.