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)
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