Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) and Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks) of the NBC sitcom 30 Rock made for one of the most remarkable power couples. Not only did they share several traits, but they were equally interesting and challenged each other on several levels. Of all Jack's partners, Avery was perhaps the most compatible with him.
This is not to say that the couple didn’t have any flaws; they were both fiercely competitive, and obviously wanted different things from life. Though they were great parents to little Liddy, fans realized pretty early on that they don’t exactly have a future together. Here are 5 reasons Avery and Jack were perfect for each other and 5 reasons why they were doomed from the start.
They Were Perfect: They’re Both Fiercely Competitive
Both Avery and Jack are absolutely unyielding and very well-suited for the cutthroat rat race that is the media industry, since they do not take defeat lightly. It has been depicted several times that Avery is fiercely career-minded, and in fact had a life map prepared to balance her career and personal life so that they don’t get in each other's way.
In fact, fans have noted how Avery didn’t even take a full-blown maternity leave after her daughter was born, but got back right to work. Jack also shares her work-first attitude, which is why they gelled so well in the first place.
They Were Doomed: Avery Never Actually Wanted a Family With Jack
Avery’s pregnancy was unplanned and she told Jack that she didn’t want a child at that point in her life. But they both agreed to keep the baby as Jack reassured her it would be okay, and also compared her to broadcaster Soledad O'Brien, which got her worked up.
But this wasn’t exactly a healthy way to decide to start a family, since they both never really communicated or even discussed their priorities. Moreover, they hadn’t been dating that long and though they admired each other tremendously, it was obvious that the pregnancy was not a welcome surprise.
They Were Perfect: Aware Of The Demands Of Each Other’s Jobs
Both Avery and Jack are closely associated with the media industry; while Avery is a successful broadcaster, Jack is a one of the top bosses in a media company. In fact, they both met through Avery’s show, where Jack was a guest and they immediately hit it off.
Though they had different job profiles, they both recognized the challenges in each other’s work, since they are so aware of how the industry works. This is also a reason why they were so compatible, and despite their many arguments, Jack and Avery never fought about their work.
They Were Doomed: Avery Never Understood Jack and Lemon’s Dynamic
Jack and his subordinate-cum-friend Liz Lemon’s (Tina Fey) relationship is too nuanced and complicated for a layman to understand, and it’s not hard to see why Avery never really understood why they are so close. Jack and Lemon are friends, confidantes and also share a mentor-mentee relationship which they both cherish.
Not to mention Lemon is the only friend Jack trusts with all of his secrets. But fans have noted how Avery could never really comprehend the dynamic they both shared, even after she and Jack had been together for a long time. This was a clear sign that Jack and Avery weren’t meant to be together.
They Were Perfect: Shared Similar Ideals
One of the most crucial deciders of their relationship was their shared sense of political and socio-cultural ideals. When it comes to power couples, it becomes crucial that both the partners are on the same side of the thought spectrum, especially in politics.
As showbiz history suggests, celebrity couples with vastly different political ideals have never really made it. Jack and Avery's views also seeped into the way they lived their life, and how they approached parenthood, which made them perfect for each other. This is also one of the biggest reasons why Jack and Liz Lemon could never really be together, since they don't share any philosophies with each other.
They Were Doomed: Together For The Wrong Reasons
It became very obvious as their relationship progressed that Avery was with Jack for the wrong reasons; they were attracted towards each other, but were never really suited to start a family together.
Avery admitted that she only dated older guys because their parents are usually dead so she doesn’t have to deal with them. Besides, she was significantly younger than Jack, and was in no hurry to start a family. Whereas Jack was really fascinated with Avery because in many ways, she reminded him of his younger self; but neither of them brought out the best side forward, as they often indulge each other’s flaws.
They Were Perfect: They Always Communicated
One of the main reasons why Jack and Avery’s relationship worked is because they believed in talking through things and communicated in a way which gave them a better perspective on each other.
So, even when they disagreed on something big or couldn’t reason with each other, they came clean. For instance, when Avery found out that Jack was also seeing Nancy, she 'fessed up about how she felt and did not lash out. Avery told Jack that they needed to have a conversation to determine whether they wanted to be exclusive, and Jack agreed.
They Were Doomed: They Weren’t Faithful To Each Other
After their marriage Jack and Avery haven’t exactly been the epitome of fidelity, but fans have often noted that there were tell-tale signs even during the beginning of their relationship. Like when Jack couldn’t make up his mind between Nancy and Avery and dated both of them for a while.
He even had a fling with Avery’s mum Diana. Avery, on the other hand, developed feelings for a colleague named Scott when she was working in North Korea. Although their relationship wasn’t physical, Avery admitted to Jack that they share a deep emotional connection, which she had initially hid from Jack.
They Were Perfect: Avery Understood Jack’s Personal Hang-ups
30 Rock's Jack Donaghy was a complicated man to say the least, and had to survive in an industry which doesn’t mind a bit of moral corruption. So, several of Jack’s bad habits never really went away as he was never held accountable and he never had to explain himself.
Fans of the show have even commented that some of Jack’s flaws were necessary for him to succeed. Avery, who’s just as relentless as Jack, understood how Jack was wired and never judged him for many of his professional decisions. She also understood his hang-ups, like the difficult relationship he shared with his mother Colleen, for instance.
They Were Doomed: They Never Had a Future Together
Jack and Avery have a child together and may be great at co-parenting, but it became very obvious to the show’s fandom that they don’t exactly have a future. They didn’t mind being away from each other after they got married, as Jack worked in New York and Avery flew to North Korea for a prestigious gig. They even became entangled with other people. Moreover, they never expressed their desire to stay with each other. It became obvious that they both wanted very different things in life, Avery wanted a more adventurous work profile, while Jack was only ever interested in rising through the ranks in New York.