Reception
According to the Nielsen ratings system, "Blind Date" was viewed by 6.01 million viewers upon its original broadcast in the United States. It earned a 2.2 rating/6 share in the 18–49 demographic. This means that it was seen by 2.2 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds, and 6 percent of all 18- to 49-year-olds watching television at the time of the broadcast. This was an increase from the previous episode, "The Aftermath", as it was watched by 5.7 million American viewers. This episode was the 72nd most watched episode of the week. "Blind Date" was nominated at the 18th GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series without a regular gay character), but lost to the Grey's Anatomy episode "Where the Boys Are".
Since airing, the episode has received generally positive reviews. Robert Canning of IGN praised the episode for "playing to its strengths", and focusing on the series "most fully realized characters", Liz and Jack. He pointed out that Tracy had "leveled off significantly from his constant high", making him "funnier in the process". Canning also enjoyed Kenneth's increased screen time and the lack of the Jenna Maroney character, played by Jane Krakowski. A television reviewer for the Chicago Tribune noted that the scenes between Jack and Liz are always "a treat" and enjoyed the scene in this episode in which Liz chastises Jack for thinking she was a lesbian. The reviewer also added that Judah Friedlander, Keith Powell, and Scott Adsit, who play Frank, Toofer, and Pete, respectively, "haven't been given enough to do", and hoped that the show would produce funny moments from the writers' room. Sarah Warn of AfterEllen.com felt that for a single-episode lesbian sitcom character, Gretchen was "one of the best we've seen". Warn also enjoyed the episode itself, calling it "one of the funniest sitcom episodes I've seen so far this season". Kevin D. Thompson of The Palm Beach Post noted that "Blind Date" was one of the "show's funniest episodes". A reviewer from the Richmond Times-Dispatch also praised the episode, citing that it was "one of the show's best."
Read more about this topic: Blind Date (30 Rock)
Famous quotes containing the word reception:
“Aesthetic emotion puts man in a state favorable to the reception of erotic emotion.... Art is the accomplice of love. Take love away and there is no longer art.”
—Rémy De Gourmont (1858–1915)
“I gave a speech in Omaha. After the speech I went to a reception elsewhere in town. A sweet old lady came up to me, put her gloved hand in mine, and said, “I hear you spoke here tonight.” “Oh, it was nothing,” I replied modestly. “Yes,” the little old lady nodded, “that’s what I heard.””
—Gerald R. Ford (b. 1913)
“He’s leaving Germany by special request of the Nazi government. First he sends a dispatch about Danzig and how 10,000 German tourists are pouring into the city every day with butterfly nets in their hands and submachine guns in their knapsacks. They warn him right then. What does he do next? Goes to a reception at von Ribbentropf’s and keeps yelling for gefilte fish!”
—Billy Wilder (b. 1906)