The Last O.G. allows Tracy Morgan to reveal a range and nuance he’s not had the chance to show us before

Vanity Fair

"It's nice to see Tracy Morgan on his own terms" after years trying to be funny on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, says Richard Lawson. He adds that "there always was—especially on 30 Rock—an undertone of condescension in the way Morgan was positioned on those shows, a sense that he was merely being asked to do his Tracy Morgan thing without much thought or interrogation behind it." On The Last O.G., we get to see Morgan on a series that is "blunt and funny and heartwarming, a perfectly calibrated mix of bawdy silliness and sincere feeling," says Lawson, adding: "It’s a good-natured series, anchored by Morgan’s friendly, gregarious performance. Tray sports a few of the absurdist stripes we saw in 30 Rock’s Tracy Jordan—but he’s grounded, too, a nice guy underscored with pain, notes Morgan plays fluidly. Morgan is also a master of reactions; it’s a pleasure just watching Tray observe things, processing the world and the people in it. Morgan’s work is keenly felt, richly detailed. He’s howlingly funny, and makes me want to see him in a straight drama."

ALSO:

• The Last O.G. has the narrative elements of a hard-hitting drama, explored through physical comedy and silly one-liners
• The Last O.G. is thoughtful, and likely to clash against the expectations of what a Tracy Morgan comedy should be
• It feels like a reluctant comedy as Morgan comes to terms with himself at a fictional remove
• Working opposite Morgan, Tiffany Haddish dials down her renowned ability to play crazy in service of her character
• The Last O.G. seems overburdened, as if scurrying from one theme to the next
• "I've been thinking about this show for eight years," says Morgan
• Co-creator Jordan Peele and Morgan recall meeting, with Morgan saying: "You gotta get that guy Jordan. I wanna be a part of that magic"