Channel Surfing: "True Blood" Lacks Bite in Ratings, "Fringe," "Sarah Jane Adventures," and More

Good morning and welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. I hope that most of you decided to stay in last night and watch the premiere of FOX's new J.J. Abrams project Fringe; I watched the second episode of 90210 and was decidedly less-than-impressed again. Sigh.

If you did miss Fringe, fret not: FOX will be reairing last night's series premiere on Sunday evening at 8 pm... along with a sneak peek at the first four minutes of Episode Two, as well as an extended scene from feature The Day the Earth Stood Still (the Keanu Reeves version, natch) and a preview of the two-hour 24 movie 24: Redemption. (Variety)

Regardless of how Fringe did in the ratings last night, it will have done significantly better than the launch for HBO's vampire drama True Blood from Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball. The pay cabler only drew 1.44 million viewers to the series premiere of True Blood, significantly less than the axed John from Cincinnati did in its initial outing (3.4 million) in June 2007, following the series finale of The Sopranos, and without the marketing and publicity support that HBO has given True Blood, which scored numbers lower than the last new installment of Big Love, which brought 2.88 million viewers to the pay cabler. (It originally launched with 4.56 million viewers; Deadwood attracted 5.79 million.) Ouch. HBO will be watching the cumulative numbers from the rest of the week very carefully. (The Los Angeles Times)

Attention Lost fans: ABC has cast the other half of its upcoming deadly duo of new characters for Season Five of the drama. Saïd Taghmaoui (Traitor) will play Caesar, a mystery man with "an innate intelligence, intensity, and danger we really responded to,” according to Damon Lindelof. Look for the character to play “an important part of the setup for the final act of the show in season 6," according to Carlton Cuse. Hmmm. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

NBC Universal has returned to iTunes after a year-long war with Apple over pricing. The resolution to their feud was announced yesterday by Steve Jobs; iTunes will begin selling standard-definition episodes of NBC Universal's series for $1.99 but will also offer HD versions of The Office, 30 Rock, and Heroes for $2.99 a pop. (Variety)

BBC One is kicking off Season Two of Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures on September 29th. The Beeb has commissioned twelve half-hour episodes of the series, which will feature the return of Elisabeth Sladen as former Doctor's companion Sarah Jane Smith after her recent adventure with the Children of Time over in Doctor Who. Also on board for Season Two: Thomas Knight as Sarah Jane's adopted son Luke and Daniel Anthony as Clyde. Sorry, Maria fans: Yasmin Paige won't be back. (BBC)

In other Doctor Who news, David Tennant is reportedly very keen to play the Doctor in a big-screen version of the cult British series, according to The Sun, who claims that Tennant wants to sign a new deal that would cover a fifth season of the drama and a spin-off feature film. Tennant has yet to commit to the role beyond the four "specials" that are slated to air in 2009. (Digital Spy)

Cabler Style Network has signed a partnership with Marie Claire magazine; they'll launch the unscripted series Running in Heels, following the lives of the editors, writers, and interns of Marie Claire, in March 2009. (Variety)

MTV is doing a series based on Rock Star 2 with Mark Burnett. (Craigslist)

Rod Lurie has sued Touchstone Television, claiming that the studio owes him at least $1 million for his ABC series Commander in Chief and that it stopped paying him under his conctract for the series by using the WGA strike as an excuse. (Hollywood Reporter)

FX has announced that Nick Grad will remain as EVP of original programming at the cabler--he developed Damages, Sons of Anarchy, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia--and has promoted Eric Schrier to EVP of FX Productions/SVP of series development, replacing Matt Cherniss who left FX for FOX, and Danielle Woodrow to SVP of original programming; she has overseen Damages, Dirt, and The Riches in the past. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Greatest American Dog (CBS); America's Got Talent (NBC; 8-10 pm); America's Next Top Model (CW); Wife Swap (ABC); Bones (FOX)

9 pm: Criminal Minds (CBS); 90210 (CW); Supernanny (ABC); 'Til Death/Do Not Disturb (FOX)

10 pm: CSI: New York (CBS); Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC); 20/20 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: America's Next Top Model.

On tonight's episode ("The Ladder of Model Success"), Benny Ninja drops in to give the models some tips on posing and the girls are tasked with swinging on a rope ladder during a photo shoot.

9 pm: Project Runway on Bravo.

Season Five (the final season on Bravo) of Project Runway continues tonight. On tonight's episode ("What's Your Sign?"), the designers are put into pairs and tasked with creating a garment inspired by their partner's astrological sign and some stargazing.

Channel Surfing: Gossip Girls Head to "30 Rock," Jason Biggs Teams with Mitch Hurwitz, "Mad Men" Maestro Looking Elsewhere, and More

Good morning and welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. I cannot believe that this week was in any way truncated as it felt so damn long. (Am I alone in thinking that?) I spent last night watching the pilot for Rob Thomas' new version of Cupid and caught up on some backlog on my TiVo and cannot wait for this weekend. (The wife and I are planning a movie marathon tomorrow night. On deck: Son of Rambow, Hamlet 2, Redbelt, and Amateur.)

ROTFLMAO! Gossip Girl's Blake Lively and Leighton Meester have signed on to guest star in a November episode of NBC's 30 Rock, where they'll play high school classmates of Liz Lemon in a flashback sequence that reveals that Liz (Tina Fey) was a mean girl (how this squares with her D&D-playing days remains to be seen); the episode revolves around Liz's twenty-year high school reunion, so look for producers to cast adult versions of Lively and Meester's teen characters. Up for the part: Robyn Lively (Savannah), sister to Blake, who is said to be talking to 30 Rock producers right now. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

CBS has given a put pilot order to an untitled new hybrid comedy from writer/executive producer Mitch Hurwitz (Arrested Development) about a family comprised of adult siblings and their parents who are way too involved in one another's lives. Jason Biggs is in final talks to join the cast of the as-yet-untitled series, from Sony Pictures TV and CBS Paramount TV, which also received an order for six additional scripts. Hurwitz will write the script with Jim Vallely (Arrested Development). (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC is developing The Return, a sci-fi drama about the fallout around the world, including in the hallowed halls of Washington, when aliens land on Earth. Project is from executive producers Greg Berlanti (Dirty Sexy Money) and Rene Echevarria (The 4400) and ABC Studios. Something tells me from the title that these baddies may have been here before. (Variety)

Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner is making the rounds at the studios in the next few weeks to shop for a lucrative overall deal... just as Mad Men itself finds out how many statuettes it will be taking home at the Emmys on September 21st. Weiner is only under contract as showrunner on Mad Men until the end of its current sophomore season and studio Lionsgate and cabler AMC have begun talks about renewing it for a third season, discussions which will hinge on Weiner's continued participation. Even if Weiner does sign an overall deal elsewhere, it's still likely he'll reup at Lionsgate to continue on Mad Men. Fingers crossed... (Variety)

Matthew Morrison and Lea Michele, fresh off the Great White Way, have been cast in FOX's musical drama pilot Glee for writer/executive producer Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck). Pilot, about a high school Spanish teacher who takes over as the adviser for the school's struggling glee club while attempting to relive his own glory days in the club, is being fast-tracked for a March launch. Michele will play the club's fame-seeking star singer; Morrison will play Will, the Spanish teacher-turned-glee club guru. Personally, I found the script to be a bit mawkish and overly earnest while also striving for humor but failing to deliver on that front; still, I'm hping with some rewrites that this could turn around to become catnip for the Idol set. (Hollywood Reporter)

Alan Dale admitted that he "got sick" of watching his current series Lost (where he plays nefarious billionaire Charles Widmore) during its third season. "At that point I felt like I had watched them wandering in a line through the forests a bit sweaty for the 1,000th time," said Dale in an interview. "I thought, 'I can't watch this anymore.' Then out of the bushes came a black cloud, which grabbed a black man and threw him to the ground, and I thought, 'I definitely can't watch this anymore'." Um, wow. If that weren't bad enough, he refers to co-star Junjin Kim as "the lovely Korean girl." Seriously. (Digital Spy's Tube Talk)

Gail O'Grady (Hidden Palms, NYPD Blue) is joining the cast of ABC's Desperate Housewives as one of the cul-de-sac's newest neighbors. She'll play the Mrs. Robinson character that originally set her sights on one of Lynette's now-grown twin terrors. Plans may have changed since then. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Anthony Edwards will turn up on one episode of ER next season, reprising his role as Dr. Mark Greene.

Michael Rodrick (Another World) will appear in a multiple-episode arc on 24 as Stokes, "a deadly military operative." He last appeared on screen in the 2007 Bones episode "Spaceman in a Crater." (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Stand Up to Cancer (CBS); Stand Up to Cancer (NBC); Friday Night SmackDown! (CW; 8-10 pm); Stand Up to Cancer (ABC); Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? (FOX; 8-10 pm)

9 pm: CBS Fall Preview/Old Christine (CBS); NFL Opening Kickoff 2008 (NBC); America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC)

10 pm: Swingtown (CBS); Dateline (NBC); 20/20 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Stand Up to Cancer (CBS, NBC, or ABC)

This fund-raiser, airing on three of the four major networks tonight, is looking to entertain and raise money for cancer research; it features reports by Katie Couric, Charles Gibson, and Brian Williams and appearances by Lance Armstrong, Christina Applegate, and many others.

9 pm: CBS Fall Preview.

Looking for an advance look at some of CBS' new and returning series, such as The Mentalist, Eleventh Hour, and The Ex List? Then check it out.

10 pm: Swingtown on CBS.

On the season (and possibly series) finale ("Take It to the Limit"), Tom and Trina host a clambake key part to celebrate the end of summer.

Channel Surfing: Oprah on "30 Rock," "Closer" Spin-off, "Lost" Casting, and More

Good morning and welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Zuleikha Robinson (Rome, New Amsterdam) has been cast as Ilana in Season Five of Lost; she'll recur as "a European female who possesses great intelligence but who's also dangerous as all get out" and her contract contains an option for her to be bumped to series regular in Season Six. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Alice in Wonderland? Showtime has cast Leisha Hailey in the pilot presentation for its untitled The L Word spin-off, which is scheduled to shoot in December with Ilene Chaiken on board to write and executive produce. (Variety)

Oprah Winfrey is said to be in final talks to guest star on 30 Rock's second episode of the upcoming season (launching on NBC on September 30th). Winfrey is said to be playing herself (rather than Liz Lemon's BFF, which was Tina Fey's longtime wish) and will appear in scenes opposite Fey and will be involved in a storyline about a feud between Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) and Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski). Meanwhile, look for Will Arnett to return in the first episode of the new season as Devin Banks. (E! Online)

CBS Paramount has signed a two-year overall deal with Swingtown creator Mike Kelley. Under the deal, Kelley is developing a new one-hour drama called BiCoastal, about a man who juggles his family life with his wife and kids in LA when he falls in love with a man in New York. Project will be co-produced with Sean Hayes' Hazy Mills and Swingtown's director/executive producer Alan Poul is in talks to join the project. CBS has yet to make a final decision on the fate of Swingtown, though the studio is said to be exploring moving the period drama to cable. Hmmm, Showtime, anyone? (Hollywood Reporter)

David Letterman has expressed sympathy for his one-time latenight rival Jay Leno, who is being replaced by Conan O'Brien as the host of Late Night. "I don’t know why, after the job Jay has done for them, why they would relinquish that,” Letterman said in an interview to be published in Rolling Stone. “I guess they thought it was a less messy way to handle what happened to me at NBC. I don’t know.” (New York Times)

TNT has ordered a pilot script for The Fixer, a spin-off of their hit drama series The Closer. No details about whether the putative series would focus on an existing Closer character or introduce a new one. Project hails from creator/executive producer James Duff, Warner Bros. Television, and Shephard/Robin Co. (Hollywood Reporter)

In other cable development news, A&E has ordered a pilot script for The Lost Son, a cop drama about a police officer who suddenly becomes police commissioner but continues to do street work at night while investigating his mother's murder. Project, from ABC Studios, is being written and executive produced by Charles Murray, who created pilot Under for the network last year. (Hollywood Reporter)

The AV Club sat down with Josh Schwartz, co-creator of Chuck and Gossip Girl. In addition to overseeing the launch of both series' second seasons, Schwartz is getting married in a few weeks. (Sorry, ladies!) (The Onion's AV Club)

ABC has ordered a pilot order for The Shark Tank, Mark Burnett's adaptation of Japanese reality format Dragon's Den (a British version of which is currently airing on BBC America), from Sony Pictures TV. Project revolves around a group of wealthy tycoons who hear business proposals from aspiring entrepreneurs and decide whether or not to invest in their projects. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Big Brother 10 (CBS); 90210 (CW; 8-10 pm); Ugly Betty (ABC); Kitchen Nightmares (FOX; 8-10 pm)

9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); NBC Primetime Preview (NBC; 9:30-10 pm); Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

10 pm: CBS News: Democratic National Convention (CBS); Dateline (NBC); Vote 08 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching:

8-10 pm: Kitchen Nightmares.

Watch as Gordon Ramsay returns to some of the restaurants he helped save during Season One of the US format of his hit UK series and see if they ended up following his instructions or reverting back to their old ways.

9:30 pm: NBC Primetime Preview.

Want an advance look at some of the Peacock's new and returning series, such as Chuck and My Own Worst Enemy? Look no further as Chuck star Zachary Levi takes you on a tour of NBC's primetime series.

10 pm: Tabatha's Salon Takeover on Bravo.

Yes, it's a complete and utter retread of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares with salons subbing in for restaurants, but there's absolutely nothing else on tonight to watch, so here goes. On this week's episode ("Martino Cartier at Giovanni and Pileggi: Sewell, NJ"), Tabatha Coffey tries to save another struggling hair salon but butts heads with the salon's owner.

More Scheduling Musical Chairs at NBC

NBC has once again altered its Thursday night comedy lineup, shifting freshman series Kath & Kim to an earlier hour.

Kath & Kim will now air on Thursdays at 8:30 pm ET/PT, shifting 30 Rock from its berth following My Name is Earl. This is the second move for the Molly Shannon/Selma Blair comedy, which was originally scheduled to air on Tuesdays between a 90-minute format of The Biggest Loser and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

The Peacock's decision to swap Kath & Kim with 30 Rock (which will now air on Thursdays, following The Office) is allegedly due to the better compatibility between Kath & Kim and My Name is Earl (um, I could have told them that) than with the more subtle comedic charms of The Office.

I think that the move is a smart one, especially as The Office and 30 Rock are a much stronger one-hour block when combined across the 9 pm hour, though I am concerned about what will happen to 30 Rock once NBC launches its non-spinoff of The Office in February. Will it move back to 8:30 pm? Or will the new series from Greg Daniels and Mike Schur take over the timeslot vacated by Kath & Kim? Hmmm...

Kath & Kim is slated to launch on NBC on October 9th.

TV Academy Shines Emmy Love on "30 Rock," "Mad Men," "Damages"

After weeks of leaked semi-finalist nominee lists, it's good to finally get a glimpse of which series and actors actually made it onto the ballots, instead of seeing yet another list that showed who could make it to the nomination stage.

The Emmy nominees were announced this morning and I have to commend them for showering such love onto diverse and unique series such as Mad Men, 30 Rock (17 nominations, no less!), and Damages... while also locking some repeat offenders--like Ugly Betty in the comedy category--out in the cold. (Yes, I watch Ugly Betty but should it be competing with such comedy series as 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, or The Office? Hells no, especially when HBO's hysterical Flight of the Conchords didn't even get a mention.)

So which series and actors did land Emmy noms? Let's talk about the major categories.

Outstanding Drama Series:
Mad Men (AMC)
Boston Legal (ABC)
House (FOX)
Lost (ABC)
Damages (FX)
Dexter (Showtime)

I'm actually quite impressed with the selection here as well as the fact that it must be the first year in a long, long time that HBO didn't have a nominee for best drama series in the mix. (Though I do wish that Big Love would start getting some, well, big love from the TV Academy.) Damages and Mad Men made Emmy history as the first basic cable programs to receive nominations in the outstanding drama series category. It's a tough call for me between Lost, Damages, and Mad Men, all of which have had exceptionally good years. The TV Academy does love a comeback story and Lost managed to please on all levels during a season in which the producers creatively reinvigorated the series; Damages dazzled with deft plotting, overlapping storylines, and a dense, complex storyline; Mad Men ambitiously recreated the world of the 1960s, complete with sexism, racism, and the eternal battle of the haves and have-nots that percolated underneath the gorgeous costumes and set pieces. Forced to choose one, I give the edge to Mad Men in the end.

Outstanding Comedy Series:
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Entourage (HBO)
The Office (NBC)
Two and a Half Men (CBS)
30 Rock (NBC)

Is there really any doubt in your minds? I'm picking 30 Rock all the way.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
James Spader, Boston Legal
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Hugh Laurie, House
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Again, another tough race to call with some real power-players competing neck and neck here for the title. My money is on Jon Hamm for turning in a performance that was at once self-assured and completely vulernable. The scene at the very end of Mad Men's first season--in which Don Draper sits alone in his house, abandoned by the family he pushed away--was absolutely heartbreaking, powerful, and established Hamm as the one to beat.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Glenn Close, Damages
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

I'd be insane not to put my money on Glenn Close for her role as Damages' cutthroat attorney Patty Hewes, who gives new meaning to the phrase toxic corporate culture. Her tough-as-nails Patty is willing to do anything--from covering up a crime to having her associate murdered--in order to win her crusade against Arthur Frobisher. It's a performance that as rich and layered as any film role as Patty strips away the last vestiges of her very soul in order to defeat her nemesis.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
William Shatner, Boston Legal
Ted Danson, Damages
Zekjko Ivanek, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
John Slattery, Mad Men

Um, wow. I really don't know who I'd want to win this category but as long as Shatner doesn't walk away with the statuette, I'd be thrilled. Any of these guys would be an incredible win and represent the cream of the crop on the supporting actor side, from Danson's amazing turn as malevolent Arthur Frobisher to Emerson's turn as Machiavellian Benjamin Linus. Tough race to call.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment

Me, I'm just happy to see that Katherine Heigl isn't up for anything for Grey's Anatomy. That's almost enough of a present for me, though I do wish that the ladies of Mad Men--January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, and Christina Hendricks--would have ended up on this nominee list.

Oustanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
Steve Carell, The Office
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies

I'm thrilled to bits to see Lee Pace's name up here against such luminaries as Steve Carell, Alec Baldwin, Charlie Sheen, and Tony Shalhoub; his performance as Ned the Pie Maker on Pushing Daisies was a master class in understated comedy, deft wordplay, and simmering desire. Still, I have to say that it's Baldwin's star turn as Jack Donaghy that truly defines the words "lead actor," as he absolutely pulls the cast of 30 Rock to a whole new level.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

Tina Fey.
Tina Fey.
Tina Fey.

Need I say more? Sure, Mary-Louise Parker has dazzled with her performance as Nancy Botwin on Weeds but I can't say that I've found Nancy to be particularly sympathetic these days and I'm finding I have a strong aversion to her character lately, while America Fererra's Betty Suarez is now grating on my nerves. Christina Applegate is absolutely adorable on Samantha Who, but she doesn't hold a candle to Fey's self-assured performance as Liz Lemon. What other actress could eat an entire sandwich (with special dipping sauce!) in one take in an outrageous sight gag that underplayed her character's insistent need to stop ex-boyfriend Floyd at the airport gate and still come off as entirely lovable?

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Kevin Dillion, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Rainn Wilson, The Office
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

Hmmm... give it to Rainn Wilson already, won't you?

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Jean Smart, Samantha Who?
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

My money's on either Pushing Daisies' Chenoweth, whose Olive is a study in sublimated desire, or SNL's Amy Poehler, who will get her own scripted comedy series next spring on NBC. I'd love Pushing Daisies to walk away with an acting prize and Chenoweth might just find herself singing about the birdhouse in her soul on that Emmy stage.... Or Jean Smart will manage to walk away with the top prize. Hmmm.

Outstanding Mini-Series:
Cranford (PBS)
John Adams (HBO)
The Andromeda Strain (A&E)
Tin Man (Sci Fi)

If you haven't seen Cranford, you've done yourself a major disservice; the PBS mini-series featured a dream cast that included Dame Judi Dench, Philip Glenister, and Michael Gambon and deftly interweaves three novels into a glorious exploration of the war between technological progress and small town England as the railroad tries to make its way to the female-run village of Cranford. Along the way, beloved characters die, couples marry and spat, and a cold dowager discovers the beating of her heart, possibly too late. Brilliant and spellbinding.

Outstanding Reality-Competition Series:
American Idol (FOX)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Project Runway (Bravo)
Amazing Race (CBS)
Top Chef (Bravo)

I have a feeling Amazing Race will walk away with the top honor but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Bravo's Top Chef, which has tranformed culinary competition into a cutthroat, edge-of-your-seat extravaganza.

So there you have it. Who are you rooting for to walk away with the top prize? Who got snubbed? And who do you wish the Academy would award the Emmy to? Discuss.

"Mad Men" Vs. "The Wire": TCA Announces Nominees and A Few (Pleasant) Surprises

It's that time of year again as the Television Critics Association has announced their nominations for the TCA Awards, which will be handed out on July 19th in Beverly Hills.

Making headlines: AMC's Mad Men has tied HBO's The Wire with the top number of nominations. (For those of you looking for a sign that critics are clearly behind the itty-bitty cabler and the recent Golden Globe winner for Best Drama, there you go.)

This year's group of nominees are quite exciting choices (as seen from the full list below), with some of Televisionary's favorite programs represented, including multiple nominations for Damages, 30 Rock, Lost, Pushing Daisies, and Flight of the Conchords, to name but a few.

The full list of nominees for the TCA Awards is as follows:

Program of the Year:
John Adams Lost Mad Men Ken Burns' The War The Wire

Comedy:
30 Rock The Colbert Report The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Flight of the Conchords The Office

Drama:
Damages Friday Night Lights Lost Mad Men The Wire

Movies, Miniseries, and Specials:
John Adams Masterpiece: Cranford Masterpiece: The Complete Jane Austen Ken Burns' The War A Raisin in the Sun

New Program:
Breaking Bad Damages Flight of the Conchords Mad Men Pushing Daisies

Individual Achievement in Comedy:
Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?)
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Stephen Colbert (The Colbert Report)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Ray Wise (Reaper)

Individual Achievement in Drama:
Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights)
Glenn Close (Damages)
Paul Giamatti (John Adams)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
David Simon (The Wire)

Children's Programming:
Curious George Hannah Montana Word Girl Yo Gabba Gabba

News and Information:
Alive Day Memories This American Life Frontline Nimrod Nation Ken Burns' The War

Heritage Award:
M*A*S*H Roots Saturday Night Live Sesame Street The Wire

Which programs are you rooting for to take home the top prize? And who do you think will win in the nomination showdown between The Wire and Mad Men... and who should? Discuss.

Rainbow Chicken, Gay Bombs, and Cooter on the Season Finale of "30 Rock"

I can't believe that the second season of 30 Rock is already over, just when we finally got the series back on the air after the end of the writers strike.

While I found last night's episode ("Cooter") to be pretty damn funny, it didn't quite coalesce at the end in the streamlined fashioned I had hoped for. After all, this was a hugely ambitious episode, cramming in no less than four separate storylines that didn't intersect at all. Would it be possible to juggle the demands of so many competing stories in the space of approximately 21 minutes? Sadly, not quite though it gave it the old college try.

Liz. I really enjoyed the A-storyline in which Liz thinks she's pregnant due to a false-positive on a series of home pregnancy tests (including one swiped from Jenna's dressing room drawer) due to the "evaporated bull semen" that gives Liz's favorite off-brand Mexican snack, Sabor de Soledad, its distinctive flavor. While everyone (including possibly Liz) wishes that the child was Floyd's, Liz reveals that she did sleep with Dennis Duffy one last time, though BEFORE he tried to push her under a subway train. (That has to count for something, at least.) I loved how Dennis has forced his way back into Liz's life again by using her apartment as shelter since he lied to his mother about getting a job. Loved that Dennis wanted to name the baby either Morpheus (from The Matrix) or Judy to "honor" a girl that he had boffed.

The entire pregnancy scare gave a little bit of pathos to Liz's life as she first fears getting pregnant, especially with Dennis' child, but then slowly comes to terms with this life-changing news (she'll be a "kick-ass single mom... like Erin Brockovich or Sarah Connor") and embraces looking at cribs online, only to learn, soul-crushingly that she's not pregnant after all.

That this entire cycle of denial, despair, hopeful acceptance, happiness, and loss are all recounted via voicemail messages on Jack's Blackberry is a thing of beauty. Never have I wanted to hug a fictional character as much I did upon seeing Liz's sad face when she opens the door for Jack. The true testament of a comedy is being able to get your audience to laugh at, embrace, and feel for your character in equal measures and 30 Rock pulled this off magnificently. The look on Jack's face when he realized that Liz needed him has paid off two seasons' worth of haughty remarks on his behalf to reveal that he really does care about Lemon. And he did mean every word about helping her arrange an adoption. I'm curious to see if 30 Rock will actually pay off this storyline by having Liz adopt a kid (or try to adopt one anyway) or if this will fall by the wayside. (I'm nervous to have the dynamics of the series change with the introduction of a precocious kid to the mix.) It was a little strange that the "three months later" epilogues didn't actually include Liz's adoption quest... or indeed Liz at all.

Jack. I also really liked the B-storyline that had Jack working in a rundown Homeland Security branch in Washington D.C. responsible for weather preparedness and the War on the Poor. I also loved seeing Matthew Broderick as a sad-sack Cooter Burger (a.k.a. James Reilly), allegedly nicknamed by W. because he resembles a turtle and was eating a hamburger once (it was actually a sandwich). Realizing that he may have made a huge mistake (upon seeing the leaky roof, the candle under the lampshade, and the woeful lack of pens), Jack tries to resign but the Bush Administration isn't letting anyone leave, so he and Cooter embark on a quest--with the help of Jack's former flame C.C. (Edie Falco)--to get themselves fired by relaunching a study commissioning a "gay bomb." Bizarre, and that's saying a lot considering it's 30 Rock; Jack and Cooter present the results three months later and Cooter accidentally knocks over the vial containing the sexual identity-reversing weapon as the gas fills the room. So is Jack temporarily gay? Is he, um, involved with Cooter? And what were the writers smoking when they came up with this plot?

Kenneth. I thought there was a lot of screen time given to Kenneth's storyline in which his dreams of becoming a NBC page at the Summer Olympics in Beijing were nearly foiled by his archrival, Head Page Donny. (In case you haven't guessed, I am not really a fan of Donny.) I loved Jenna's videotape endorsement of Kenneth and her advice about backdoor self-compliments ("I can't watch American Idol because I have perfect pitch") and Kenneth's Olympic-inspired dash to turn in the application to NBC Sports before the deadline. But it seemed to overtake a lot of the episode without much payoff. Sure, there was the scene of Kenneth in bed with a beautiful woman in China before an armed man bursts into the room, but I wish the writers had instead not shown Kenneth until the very last moment. Instead, they buried the joke a little too much there. While I love Kenneth, I do think a little Kenneth goes a long way and I wish that they would have downplayed his storyline just a touch in order to link up the disparate plot threads in a more meaningful way. It just felt, while funny, a little jumbled and disorganized, instead of the smooth, effortless way these stories usually unfold.

Tracy. Tracy's dream of leaving a lasting legacy to his children finally came to fruition with the completion of his porn video game "Goregasm: The Legend of the Dong Slave," for which Grizz and Jenna lent their voices in a hilarious recording session. ("Again, and this time we'll record.") It was funny but a little too unbelievable to me that Frank had been playing the game for three months in his office... a reveal that took me out of the absurd, heightened reality of 30 Rock a little too much. Still, who will ever forget Tracy's advice to Jenna, overacting during the recording session, about how to approach the experience: "Don't overthink it; I don't want another Judi Dench situation." That made me laugh.

Best line of the evening: a tie between Kenneth's Mandarin delivery of "I will not fail you, rainbow chicken!" and Jack's sage wisdom of "It's a guaranteed disaster. Like eating a burrito before sex." But both of those paled to the sight of Kathy Geiss silently pulling the the miniature car out of her mouth and then placing it back once Liz ran out of her office.

What did you think? Did you think that this was yet another hysterical installment of 30 Rock and the perfect way to end the sophomore season? Or were you slightly disappointed that things were as disjointed and unfocused as they were? Discuss.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Ghost Whisperer (CBS); Most Outrageous Moments/Most Outrageous Moments (NBC); Friday Night SmackDown! (CW; 8-10 pm); TV's All-Time Funniest (ABC; 8-10 pm); Man of the House (FOX; 8-10 pm)

9 pm: Moonlight (CBS); Dateline NBC (NBC; 9-11 pm)

10 pm: NUMB3RS (CBS); 20/20 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Sarah Jane Adventures on Sci Fi.

On tonight's episode of the Doctor Who spin-off ("Warriors of Kulak, Part Two"), Luke and Clyde find themselves enlisted in an intergalactic war via a laser-tag game as Sarah Jane and Maria race to save them. Afterwards, it's Part One of "Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?," in which Maria sets out on a time-traveling quest to find her missing friends Sarah Jane and Luke as a meteor threatens Earth.

9 pm: Doctor Who on Sci Fi.

Season Four of Doctor Who continues tonight with "Planet of the Ood," as the Doctor and Donna encounter the Ood on the Ood Sphere, where they discover some terrible things about the human race.

10 pm: Battlestar Galactica on Sci Fi.

On tonight's episode ("Faith"), the search for Earth takes a rather unexpected turn, forcing some unexpected alliances to be forged.

Sandwich Day, Hill People Milk, and Unicorns: Another Day at the Office on "30 Rock"

There are few things in life that you can count on. Death, taxes, and laughing your butt off while watching 30 Rock usually top the list.

Last night's episode of 30 Rock ("Sandwich Day") was no exception to this rule, with multiple plotlines that took the characters into unexpected directions... and hilarity. Ostensibly about the first encounter between Liz and Floyd (Jason Sudeikis) since their breakup--and his moving to Cleveland--the episode also involved Jack's fall from grace to the 12th floor of 30 Rock, a drinking contest between the TGS staffers and the transpo guys over a special sandwich from a secret location. Oh, and a fantastic guest turn from Brian Dennehy! What more could you ask for?

I'm thrilled to bits that Floyd is back in Liz's life, even if it is just temporarily. I've missed their goofy rapport and UNO sessions and I absolutely loved the scene in which Pete choreographed Liz's entire scene on the TGS set with Floyd, from the lighting cues to the wind machine, all of which gave our Liz Lemon the mystique she seems to be be missing. That she then begged to be let out from the stunning red dress she was encased in (she couldn't breathe) was just icing on the cake.

Sure enough, Liz manages to get through an entire evening with Floyd (the "Michael Clayton" of Cleveland) while maintaining her cool, calm composure and has him wrapped around her little finger... until the next morning when he catches sight of the real Liz, all bed-headed and makeup-less and cries out "crone!" (Hilarious.) The juxtaposition between their "perfect evening" and this less than perfect encounter was touchingly realistic, as was it when Liz broke down and demanded to know who the woman was who answered his phone eight months earlier. See, that's the Liz Lemon we know and love: a woman whose idea of using a treadmill consists of walking really, really slow while eating an ice cream sundae.

For his part, Floyd lies about getting on a flight (most likely on an airline that doesn't shut down to become a company that solely produces popcorn or the one with the foot baths and in-flight porn, one hopes) and hangs out in Manhattan rather than talk about things with Liz... but she still manages to run into him and they argue ("You used Ghostbusters for evil!"). Do we believe that Floyd doesn't know what woman Liz is talking about?

In the end, Liz has a classic dilemma set before her as she is forced to chose at the airport security gate between her beloved Teamster sandwich and catching Floyd before he gets on his plane to Cleveland. Like Mary Tyler Moore, Liz tries to have it all... and stuffs that sandwich into her mouth, dipping sauce and all (so quickly that I nearly choked myself) and then runs after Floyd. Who else gave an "aw" out loud when she let Floyd keep the key to her apartment, just in case?

Jack, meanwhile, is not having a good day of it. After failing to revive Don Geiss from his diabetic coma, Jack is kicked out of his executive office... which has been taken over by Kathy Geiss (prone to sending out emails with links to websites about cats wearing bowties) and transformed into a shrine to unicorns and, um, Mark Wahlberg. He'd been demoted to the loathed twelfth floor but, before he can go, receives a lovely, girlish "Friends 4 Eva!" collage from Jonathan, who serenades him with "I Will Remember You." Touching and troubling at the same time.

How hilarious was the terrifying twelfth floor of 30 Rock? I roared with laughter when Jack encountered a cadaver-like old man pushing a cart, an eye patch-festooned receptionist, flickering lights and an ominous sign that read "No Nut Food." No wonder Jack flees GE for the "sinking ship" of the Bush Administration, which Jack compares unfavorably to an American car company and where he accepts a post in the Homeland Security Crisis and Weather Management division. Just how will Liz and Co. lure Jack back to GE and take down Devon Banks?

Loved the scenes with the Teamsters and the lengths the gang was willing to go in order to obtain a sandwich to replace the one they stole from Liz, with Frank even willing to make out out with Lutz in order to discover the location of the fabled sandwich place. Still, I was glad that they turned to Jenna for help during their drinking contest ("It's in their contract," states Jack) for help; she's become the de-facto go-to savior in all matter of crises, whether romantic (loved her advice to Liz about returning from the bathroom and then handing a guy your underwear) or alcoholic ("A drinking contest? What am I, twelve and at my boyfriend's frat party?"). Classic.

Best line of the episode: "This smells like hill people milk!" - Kenneth, realizing he grew up drinking, just as Tracy's ankle monitor batteries die, Frank discovers the penny didn't end up in his ear again, and Jenna is close to passing out.

Next week on the season finale of 30 Rock ("Cooter"), Jack begins his new life as a Homeland Security adviser in Washington but when the job doesn't quite meet his expectations, he turns to former flame C.C. (Edie Falco) and a government staffer (Matthew Broderick) for help in getting fired; meanwhile, Liz tries to adjust to life at TGS without Jack and must deal with a pregnancy scare.

Betrayal in B Minor: A Question of Succession on "30 Rock"

How utterly fantastic was last night's episode of 30 Rock ("Succession")?

Increasingly, 30 Rock is becoming the brightest, shiniest spot in my television-viewing week, offering more belly laughs, throwaway lines, and blink and you miss it jokes than most typical seasons of other network comedies. Last night's brilliant episode, focusing on Don Geiss choosing his successor and Liz becoming a high-powered executive, was no exception; it was taut, elegantly crafted comedy that fused together wit and absurdity into one brilliant package.

After all, what other comedy series would reference Amadeus in a plot thread about Tracy Jordan fusing together video games and porn into one single package to bear his immortal legacy? I loved that a jealous Frank (who had devoted his life to porn) played Salieri to Tracy's Mozart and beautiful slow-mo montage of Dr. Spaceman rushing down the halls of 30 Rock, cloak billowing in his wake, as he then pauses at the vending machine for a snack.

And how hysterical was it that, when Leo finds Don Geiss in a diabetic coma, he tells Liz and Jack that he can't give Geiss a shot of something in the heart "because we don't really know where the heart is... it's different on every person." He then attempts to call for help, unsure whether he should dial 411 or 911. Getting information, he casually asks for "New York... diabetes repair." I don't know about you, but I couldn't stop laughing and had to rewind what came next because I was laughing so hard I couldn't hear what anyone was saying.

Loved the subplot with Tracy trying to find a way for his sons to be proud of him and the flashback to him bringing his son's "music stick" (read: flute) to school, only to discover that he had not been invited to Bring Your Dad to School Day... which invariably leads to Tracy dancing--sans shirt, of course--an embarrassing jig. The remembrance of this moment sends Tracy on a quest to create a lasting legacy for his children (whose photos he keeps hidden) and he doesn't need to turn to Eureka for a good idea this time.

One of the many hilarious lines of the evening that made me squeal with glee: "You've got the charm and spark of a young Leona Helmsley." - Geiss to corporate Liz, who has thrown away her dreams of living with gorillas in the wild for a slap-worthy salary. Of course, that tied with "Hey nerds, who has two thumbs, speaks limited French and didn't cry once today? This moi!" 'Nuff said.

Seeing Liz as a high-powered exec was a treat, especially with her corporate hairstyle. I thought she would bristle when Jack offered to make her his successor; she doesn't scream out corporate in any way, shape, or form. And yet she rose magnificently to the occasion, fitting in with Jack and his cronies, making a quick decision about microwave button classic which saves GE $2 million in research, and slyly handing Jack a tampon when he expresses sympathy for someone. I loved that Jack--who believes that hugging is "so ethnic"--would even consider Liz for the job, but, after all, she does always have his back, even going so far as to forcibly make out with rival Devon Banks ("I pretended he was a sandwich") on the elevator's security camera in order to give Jack further leverage with Geiss.

Devon of course is about to wed Don's freakish daughter Kathy Geiss, a woman prone to eating flowers, forgetting to wash her hands after using the toilet, sipping from juice boxes, and climbing into small, confining spaces. I love having the deliciously sleazy Devon (Will Arnett) on the series; Jack needs a rival to work off of and Devon fits the bill perfectly. It's the small touches that make him more than just a cardboard villain: the fact that he wore a low-cut top to his "sham bachelor party," or his weakness for one Kenneth Ellen Parcell.

And, despite admitting to Jack that he knew that Geiss had passed him over, Devon clearly seizes advantage of Geiss' diabetic coma (brought on when Liz forgets to get him something to eat at the bachelor party) in order to take control of GE, putting Kathy in charge as a figurehead and satisfying the even more freakish board of directors that a Geiss should sit atop GE. It's a clever gambit that pays off for Devon and the look of shock and outrage on Jack's face is unlike anything we've ever seen from him before. Just what this means for the power structure at GE/NBC remains to be seen.

I wouldn't have it any other way. Hell, I didn't even need to be "business drunk" to say that.

Next week on 30 Rock ("Sandwich Day"), it's the return of Liz's ex-boyfriend Floyd (Jason Sudeikis) who needs somewhere to stay overnight after his flight out of New York is canceled; Jack finds himself demoted to the 12th floor after Devon takes over GE, causing him to question his future with the company.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Ghost Whisperer (CBS); Most Outrageous Moments/Most Outrageous Moments (NBC); Friday Night SmackDown! (CW; 8-10 pm); America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC); 13 Going on 30 (FOX; 8-10 pm)

9 pm: Moonlight (CBS); Dateline NBC (NBC; 9-11 pm); Duel (ABC)

10 pm: NUMB3RS (CBS); 20/20 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Sarah Jane Adventures on Sci Fi.

On tonight's episode of the Doctor Who spin-off ("Revenge of the Slitheen, Part 2"), the Slitheen's plot to blot out the sun takes Mr. Smith offline, forcing Sarah Jane and the kids to resort to subterfuge in order to stop the aliens. Afterwards, it's the first part of "Eye of the Gorgon," in which the gang investigates reports of a ghostly nun at a nursing home and uncovers a secret society devoted to a creature who can turn her victims to stone.

9 pm: Doctor Who on Sci Fi.

Season Four of Doctor Who continues tonight with "Partners in Crime," in which Catherine Tate's Donna (last seen in "The Runaway Bride") joins up with the Doctor to battle an alien plot involving a fad diet... which makes fat vanish along with people.

10 pm: Battlestar Galactica on Sci Fi.

On tonight's episode ("Escape Velocity"), Baltar's new messianic role creates some problems of faith for those who cling to their beliefs in the Lords of Kobol and a death (ahem, you know who) casts a pall on the Colonial fleet.

8-11 pm: BBC America.

Looking for a sci-fi alternative? If you happen to be staying in after a long work week, why not do it in true Anglophile style with back-to-back episodes of Coupling and new sketch comedy series That Mitchell and Webb Look, from the stars of Peep Show?

Nine-"30 Rock": NBC Swaps "Scrubs" Timeslot for Tracy Jordan and Co.

There might only be three all-new installments of 30 Rock left this season (the truncated season is, of course, due to the strike), but that doesn't mean I can't get behind NBC's decision to shift the hilarious and subversive comedy series to a later timeslot.

Beginning this week, 30 Rock will move from its 8:30 pm home to a 9:30 pm berth, directly behind The Office. I am sure NBC is hoping that the ratings of the (lately) inferior Office will create a halo effect for 30 Rock and viewers will stick around for the travails of Liz Lemon and the TGS staffers.

I am also sure that NBC was a little concerned that the return of original episodes of Ugly Betty over on ABC might, er, unduly influence the ratings and put 30 Rock in a precipitous position. Sure, the timeslot change puts them opposite ratings powerhouse Grey's Anatomy, but I feel like that series' audience is different than that for 30 Rock.

Personally, I think it's great news. I've been saving 30 Rock for after The Office the last two weeks anyway, just in case I got disappointed by The Office and needed cheering up. (Believe me, this week I definitely needed it.)

And Thursdays are getting very crowded, starting this week, what with Ugly Betty at 8 pm, The Office and 30 Rock snugly at 9 pm, and Lost at 10 pm. Moving 30 Rock means less conflict. For me, anyway.

As Tracy Jordan might say: Thank you, NBC, for coming up with a Thursday night schedule that is pretty attuned to my unique way of life.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Big Bang Theory/How I Met Your Mother (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC; 8-10 pm); Gossip Girl (CW); Dancing With the Stars (ABC; 8-9:30 pm); Bones (FOX)

9 pm: Two and a Half Men/Rules of Engagement (CBS); One Tree Hill (CW); Samantha Who? (ABC; 9:30-10 pm); House (FOX)

10 pm: CSI Miami (CBS); Medium (NBC); The Bachelor: London Calling (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Gossip Girl.

The naughty teen soap returns tonight with a brand new episode! On tonight's episode ("The Blair Bitch Project"), a dethroned Blair tries to find the strength to return to school while Jenny tries find a way to have her wallet keep up with the financial demands of being popular.

MILF and Cookies: Liz and Jack Face Off on "30 Rock"

There was one thing I was looking forward to this week more than anything. (Yes, even more than being just two scripts away from reading every single drama pilot this development season, which feels pretty damn good.) That thing was, of course, the return of original episodes of brilliant comedy 30 Rock to the airwaves.

I felt very worried as the familiar musical strains began last night's episode ("MILF Island"); would the episode live up to my high expectations after all of this time or would I be disappointed after I built up this moment for so many months now? I'm happy to see that the answer to the latter question is a resounding NO. I thought that "MILF Island" was textbook 30 Rock: slick, sly, and filled to the brim with throwaway lines, ongoing jokes, and surreal, brainy humor.

What other series would offer up such a deliciously apt send up of slipping NBC quality standards with the meta show-within-a-show MILF Island? The return of an in-joke at the beginning of the season, the B storyline of this week's episode revolved around a Jack Donaghy and Jerry Seinfeld-executive produced reality series (did you catch his name in the end credits there?) about 50 eighth grade boys, a bevy of hot MILFs, and no rules. It plays directly to the types of oversexed reality franchises we're seeing now, targeting the core demos of "soccer moms, NASCAR dads, white-collar pervs, and the obese," and I loved how the entire TGS staff and most of America (including Dick Cheney) were riveted to the season finale of MILF Island and the final showdown between Debora and Deborah. Choice quote from Jack: "Debra and Shana are facing off in Erection Cove!"

Meanwhile, Liz investigates the culprit behind a mean comments about Jack in Page Six that refer to him as a class-A moron, while actually concealing the true identity of the trash-talker: herself. I loved that for once Liz was the one who screwed up and tried to blame it on her "idiot" staffers, who quickly come apart at the seams quicker than a MILF Island cast member's overfilled bikini when they face the heat upstairs at Jack's office. Liz quickly sells out Kenneth in a moment of passion that echoes MILF Island, right down to the very words coming out of her mouth.

Jack, of course, once again proves he's smarter than Liz Lemon; while he's waiting for a call from Don Geiss (and hopefully the, er, praise attendant with being called "Jackie Boy") he sets in motion a ruse to ensnare Liz, one which involves a mocked copy of an official report noting him as a class-A moron and a sob story about being a child stutterer and attending a special needs class in the school boiler room with another boy named Gilly (thawed out after falling through the ice) who eventually taught him to sweep sawdust into little piles, got him a job at the local mill, and would make fun of Jack while playing with himself in the corner.

The Jack/Gilly story was absolutely hilarious and had me rolling on the floor with laughter. Each and every detail seemed selected to force Liz to confess and yet, when she didn't, Jack's story got more and more outrageous. At one point, I nearly choked on my tea when I began to laugh. (Trust me: you do not want to be drinking hot tea with milk while watching this show.) I loved that Liz, while still not able to confess to the crime, did admit that she was born with an extra baby foot from possibly eating her twin in the womb and had to wear corrective footwear that attached to headgear. (Ouch.) Points for Fey walking out of the scene pigeon-toed and for Jack coercing her into writing that spinoff for MILF Island's Debra who wants to "sing in every episode."

Loved Tracy's insistence that Liz had spoken the exact words found in a "Cathy" comic strip the day before ("Chocolate... chocolate... chocolate... Ack!"). Hell, they even got Cathy's cardigan and tongue-positioning perfect in the "flashback." And Kenneth telling Liz, "You eyes look like my uncle's after he drinks from the air conditioner." Can this show be any more perfect?

A C storyline had Pete trapped inside a vendine machine trying to snag a free Soy Joy bar; not so coincidentally, Soy Joy is not only the sponsor of MILF Island, but this episode of 30 Rock as well (as indicated in the closing credits). I couldn't help but remember that old Simpsons episode where Homer finds himself caught inside not one but two vending machines and the fireman finally tells him to just let go of the soda can he's holding. I was sort of hoping that would be the case here but instead Pete removes most of his clothes and, in a hilarious twist, throws objects against a phone to call for help... only to dial the four digit extension for his own phone. Funny and ironic.

In the end, this was a strong installment to a series that just gets better and better (save those strike-produced episodes which definitely lacked the funny) and felt more like a season opener with the amount of momentum and set-up it contained. I've waited a long time for 30 Rock to return and I have to say that, given the hilarity and wit of this episode, the wait was worth it in every respect. Welcome back, my old friend. I've missed you.

Next week on 30 Rock ("Subway Hero"), after Liz's ex-boyfriend Dennis (Dean Winters) saves a man who has fallen onto the subway tracks, he becomes a local celebrity and sets out to win back Liz Lemon.

By the Hammer of Thor: Talking About "30 Rock" with Tina Fey

I'm hopelessly obsessed with 30 Rock to the point that I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant.

So I was thrilled to catch up with the series' creator/writer/star Tina Fey about what to expect when 30 Rock returns to NBC with new episodes on April 10th... and what to expect when Liz Lemon is, er, expecting.

First off, Fey hopes the audience doesn't exhibit any angst or ill-will now that the strike is finally over. "Hopefully, people just want to see shows they love back on the air," she said. And don't look for the WGA strike to pop up on 30 Rock anytime soon. "[The strike] did not happen in their world... it was a big enough pain in real life."

Fey revealed that the writers had plans for a strike-themed episode in works before the real-life WGA strike that derailed production this season, a storyline which still may turn up "down the road" but won't be necessarily related to the events last fall. Regarding the strike, because the staff scattered all over the place during the work stoppage (many of them live in California), they haven't had time to do the typical post-strike, er, post mortem that most series had the opportunity to do. Fey and the writing team will have a chance to take a look back after those final five episodes are completed.

As for what the denizens of 30 Rockefeller will be up to when the series returns for five new episodes, look for Jack Donaghy to enlist Tracy to be the "new black face of the Republican Party," the surprise success of Jack's reality series MILF Island (previously mentioned in the episode "SeinfeldVision," which features "25 super-hot moms, 50 sweaty eighth grade boys, and no rules"), Frank playing Salieri to Tracy's Mozart, the return of several familiar faces including Will Arnett's Devon Banks, Dean Winters' Beeper King Dennis Duffy, and Jason Sudeikis' Floyd (who, come to think of it, never got a last name on the series).

The latter two turn up during an upcoming pregnancy scare for our beloved Liz Lemon, which Fey finds amusing as Liz "hooks up once every seven years." (A situation not helped by Fey's dislike for Liz Lemon romance storylines, which she begs the writers not to use.)

Comedy legend Tim Conway (The Carol Burnett Show) will turn up as a guest star early on in 30 Rock's new batch of episodes. (Fey believes it's the second one.) As for other guest stars planned, Fey said that the writers strike didn't derail any guest star gigs. "We're lucky," said Fey, "because [the planned] guests are still available."

So how about Fey's former SNL Weekend Update co-chair Amy Poehler stopping by on 30 Rock? Fey said that they tried to snag Poehler for a guest spot last season but the actress ended up being out of town during an SNL hiatus. Fey still hopes to get Poehler on 30 Rock in the future, but in the meantime you can catch them together in new film Baby Mama, out April 8th.

Fey said with the exception of Jerry Seinfeld--who approached them about being on 30 Rock--the writers always craft their characters and write them first, before making many overtures to guest stars. Fey feels that this is why their guest stars never feel gratuitous, because they come "organically from the characters and the stories." (Which leads me to wonder: what part was Poehler supposed to play?) Her dream stunt casting: Oprah. Fey still wants her to play Liz's best friend. (Um, fingers crossed?)

Don't expect Fey's recent Poster Girl status for the women of comedy (in the pages of Vanity Fair) to turn up on 30 Rock. "No, it won't be on the show," said Fey, laughing. "Liz Lemon never gets her hair done."

As for past television comedies that inspired Fey, she revealed a love for some of my favorite series as well, like The Larry Sanders Show, The Office ("[both the] British and the American versions"), Bob Newhart, Mary Tyler Moore, and The Carol Burnett Show. She also expressed her love for the Christopher Guest films. (Is she a woman after my own heart or what?)

And Fey is finally comfortable with playing and writing for Liz Lemon. "It's like I never fully stopped apologizing for being in the show," she said.

Seeing as 30 Rock has clicked with its obsessive fan base and critics alike, I think it's clear that Fey has absolutely nothing to apologize for.

30 Rock returns with new episodes starting April 10th on NBC.

"Bitch is the New Black": Tina Fey Takes on "SNL"

Was it just me or was Tina Fey the perfect vehicle to welcome back scripted television to the airwaves?

Fey's winning turn as host this weekend on Saturday Night Live, the sketch comedy series on which she served as its first female head writer, was hilarious, inspired, and completely appropriate, after the long, dark months of the WGA strike. (It also earned SNL its highest overnight ratings in two years, scoring a 6.1/15 share.)

From the opening moments--in which she referred to the lack of any hard feelings amongst the crew for the writers strike (and then had to duck several times from a boom being dropped on her head)--to an unexpected cameo from Steve Martin, advising her that she had to stop being a writer and start being a performer (complete with a lesson on the comedy rule of three), Fey proved why 30 Rock is such a critical success: she's funny, sexy, and not afraid to poke fun at herself, even when it means getting bitchslapped by Martin on stage.

But it was her rapturous return to Weekend Update that had me cheering, as she took the stage next to former Update co-host Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers, this time as a women's news correspondent. "I think we can all agree it's a great time to be a lady in America and not just because of that new yogurt that helps you poop," said Fey. "Although, on the serious, thank you for that yogurt. Now let's take a look at the stories affecting your daughters and mothers and the grouchy ladies in your office."

(So when are we finally going to see Amy Poehler drop by the set of 30 Rock for a guest turn? 'Cause I would pay to see Poehler show up at The Girlie Show as, say, Liz Lemon's stalker.)

It's funny how a late-night sketch comedy series can make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. But after the tension and division of the strike, it was wonderful to see the show actually go on, for a change, to see the writers and the crew back at work, delivering content to the public and making them laugh, instead of wondering why all of their favorite series have been replaced by American Gladiator all of the sudden.

Still, nothing could ever replace Fey's Weekend Update signoff: "What bothers me most, people say Hillary's a bitch. And let me say something about that. Yeah, she is. And so am I. And so is this one. Bitches get stuff done. That's why Catholic schools use nuns as teachers and not priests. Those nuns are mean old clams, they sleep on cots. They're allowed to hit you. And at the end of the school year, you hated those bitches, but you knew the capital of Vermont. It's not too late Texas and Ohio! Get on board. Bitch is the new black."

I think I'm in love.

StrikeWatch: And... It's Over

It's official: the WGA strike, which began November 5th, has finally come to a close, following a member vote overwhelmingly in favor of ending the strike (92.5% to be precise) and getting back to work during the official ten-day ratification process.

You can literally hear the sound of relief echoing through Hollywood today as writers return to their keyboards to try to pound out as many scripts as possible in time to salvage the 2007-08 season.

"Our membership has voted, and writers can go back to work," said WGA West President Patric Verrone in a statement. "This was not a strike we wanted, but one we had to conduct in order to win jurisdiction and establish appropriate residuals for writing in new media and on the Internet. Those advances now give us a foothold in the digital age. Rather than being shut out of the future of content creation and delivery, writers will lead the way as TV migrates to the Internet and platforms for new media are developed."

So what series will be the first to make it back on air? Most likely it will be NBC's Saturday Night Live, scheduled to return on February 23rd with 30 Rock's Tina Fey as the host (the following week brings Juno's Ellen Page).

As for dramas and comedies, don't expect to see any new episodes of series like Two and a Half Men, The Office, or Ugly Betty until mid-March (for multi-cam comedies) or April (for dramas and single-camera comedies).

As for how many episodes each series will be able to deliver, that depends entirely on the speed of the writing staff and the production schedule. The Office is expected to shoot six more episodes this year, possibly seven. The writing staff on that series had completed a script before the strike began (but were unable to film due to star Steve Carell joining the picket line) but will have to scrap another, a Christmas-themed episode, in an early stage.

"We're going to throw that one out," executive producer Greg Daniels told The New York Times as he explained how the writers would meet this week to plot out the series' storylines. "I'm tempted to just leap ahead to where we would have been."

Five episodes of 30 Rock are expected to be completed before May, depending on Alec Baldwin's availability; the star recently signed on to a feature film, making production slightly more difficult. (And yet something tells me it will all work out.)

The fates of ER and Scrubs are up in the air. It was widely thought that both NBC series would end at the end of this season but without filmed finales, one or both might head back to produce more episodes.... and ER could end up on the fall schedule again, should certain economic factors be worked out. As for Scrubs, NBC has not yet made a decision on the fate of those final six unproduced episodes.

CBS has handed out additional orders for two of its series, giving a six-episode order for comedy Rules of Engagement and four-episode order to Shark.

The network is also in discussions with Warner Bros. Television about restarting production on midseason comedy Old Christine, which was unable to fulfill its entire 13-episode order.

HBO will push the premieres of returning series Entourage and Big Love; Entourage is now expected to be shifted from summer to Fall 2008 while Big Love could launch in either fourth quarter or 2009.

For others, it's the end of the road. On the bubble for renewal (and not producing any further episodes this season): Journeyman, Bionic Woman, Cane, and Big Shots.

While ABC has not yet decided about ordering additional episodes of drama Women's Murder Club this season, if it does return, it will be without showrunners Sarah Fain and Elizabeth Craft and executive producer R. Scot Gemmill, who have all been let go from the series.

Interrogation Bear: The Germans Head to "30 Rock," But Writers Nowhere to Be Found

For anyone looking to see just what television would look like, minus the writers, one need only take a peek at last night's episode of 30 Rock (the woefully untitled "Episode 210"), which proved that there's a reason why comedy scripts go through multiple revisions and polishing, as well as on-set rewriting.

For a series that zings with enough pop culture references, tongue-in-cheek throwaway lines, and rewind-that moments to fill a week's worth of network programming, last night's 30 Rock was leaden, dull, and--most criminally--just unfunny.

It's sad too because the script had the bare bones of three enticing plots--Jack tries to make a deal with the Germans to buy a television network but blows it by spending time with his Democratic Congresswoman lover; Liz, acting on Jack's advice, tries to buy real estate; and Kenneth becomes addicted to caffeine, throwing the carefully ordered world of TGS into chaos--which, if polished, could have been hysterical. Instead, the three storylines compete for on-air time with all of the wit and humor of a typical episode of According to Jim.

All this and a weird, space-filler musical number that just kept on going out of nowhere--a plot it seemed to stretch the script to runtime length--that culminated in a random cameo by a dazed-looking Gladys Knight. This isn't the 30 Rock I've come to know and love. Where were the double entendres, the inside jokes, the deft political commentary that have been hallmarks of this brilliant, bold comedy?

The answer: they're still locked inside the writers' heads.

To date, there hasn't been a more clear depiction of what the loss of the writers means to a comedy like 30 Rock, which--like my beloved Arrested Development before it--must do much re-writing on the set, while filming, as the comedically gifted actors riff off of one another and writers tweak individual pieces of dialogue. (For a fictional version of this situation, see the post below.)

Let me be clear: this is a series that has me laughing from start to finish. I think I may have laughed, oh, maybe twice in last night's episode, possibly in reference to the flashback of nerdy Liz "partying" it up in Frankfurt, the other over Kenneth's admission that he had a "Jewish doughnut" and has been "sodomized" by New York City. In a 20-something-minute episode, that means there's a lot of empty space there. (The Liz storyline, in which she drunkenly harasses an NYC co-op board should have been funny but ended up painfully stereotypical and just odd.)

30 Rock has always prided itself on not falling into sitcomy stereotypes and inverting those typical tropes that have defined network comedy television, but last night's episode felt extremely sitcomy, from the group performance of "Midnight Train to Georgia," to the unfunny Tracy "flashback," to the random appearance of Gladys Knight at the episode's end.

In the end, 30 Rock is only as strong as the cohesion between its talented performers and its writers. Without that synergy, the result is just plain weird. Not good weird, mind you, but to quote Jack Donaghy, "last night weird."

Lemon Party: The Old Folks Descend on Our Favorite NBC Staffers on "30 Rock"

If after watching last night's episode of 30 Rock, you're still unclear about how much rewriting goes into polishing TV scripts before shooting, there's no saving you.

I had been looking forward to 30 Rock all week long as the comedy has become a shining beacon of hope in a primetime schedule getting more crowded by the day with reality series as the WGA strike goes on. While I thought the episode might be a little bittersweet--it being the penultimate 30 Rock until the WGA and the AMPTP can end their conflict--I wasn't prepared for how lackluster an entry into the 30 Rock canon it would be.

And it's sad because this week's installment (the untitled episode 209) had a set-up and plotline that could have been hysterical and absolutely brilliant... if only the writers had been able to rewrite the script. Instead, it was a mostly flat episode that gave me only a few chuckles, a rare feat for the indomitable 30 Rock, which typically has me roaring with laughter from start to finish. (Plus, those guest stars: Elaine Stritch, Andy Richter, Buck Henry, and Anita Gillette!)

Which isn't to say that there weren't a few glittering moments amid the mostly flat landscape of the episode, because there were. What worked? Cirie taunting Liz's brother Mitch by telling him that her parents will be out of town the following weekend; poor Mitch's sudden realization that he was forty and could have been drinking alcohol for years; Colleen's insistence that she was going to break down the Lemon family and reveal their insecurities and failures; Kenneth's Coke addiction during his Wall Street days; Jenna searching for the best place for the keyboard to be set up at the Ludachristmas party; Tracy's ankle bracelet (though not the scenes at the monitoring facility); the Sheinhardt-Universal Christmas present: a combo paper shredder/photo scanner ("Won't people just end up shredding their photos?"). Plus, how long has Dot Com been calling Liz "Beth"? Adorable.

I loved the idea of Liz's parents being so darn supportive about everything, from her taking on the high school football team in a trailblazing feminist act to Jack finishing a muffin, which sharply contrasted with the caustic parenting skills of Colleen Donaghy... only to have the truth about the Lemons come spilling out over dinner. Loved that Dick and Margaret didn't actually show up for Liz's football game and that Liz was the one to shatter Mitch's reality with a hasty comment.

But there was something missing from last night's episode, that insistent push towards a heightened reality usually so prevalent in these episodes. Gags that could have been hilarious felt slightly underwritten for a change and some jokes could have used a little more tweaking in order to land right. It was an episode of 30 Rock that didn't quite feel like... 30 Rock.

Best line of the night (and one I can't believe standards and practices allowed): "It wouldn't be a Lemon party without old Dick."

I never thought I'd say this, but last night's 30 Rock podbuster American Express ad was in fact funnier than the episode itself, especially when it was revealed that Jenna practices "The Secret." It's a rare feat that a commercial manages to be funny, timely, and canonic all at the time time. Not to mention effective: I didn't fast forward on my TiVo through the ad...

So that's nearly a wrap then for 30 Rock, which has one episode (airing in mid-January) and then will hopefully return sometime in the future with new episodes once the strike is resolved. To the cast and crew of this groundbreaking series, thanks for all of the laughs over the last 1 1/2 seasons and hopefully we'll be able to catch up with Liz, Jack, Tracy, Jenna, Kenneth, and the rest of 30 Rock's delightfully absurd cast of characters sooner rather than later.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Ghost Whisperer (CBS); It's A Wonderful Life (NBC; 8-11 pm); Friday Night SmackDown (CW; 8-10 pm); Men in Trees (ABC); Don't Forget the Lyrics (FOX)

9 pm: Moonlight (CBS); Women's Murder Club (ABC); Next Great American Band (FOX)

10 pm: NUMB3RS (CBS); 20/20 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8-11 pm: BBC America.

If you happen to be staying in after a long work week, why not do it in true Anglophile style with back-to-back episodes of Coupling and The Catherine Tate Show?

"Pushing Daisies," "30 Rock," "Damages" Get Some Golden Globe Love

Ah, awards season is upon us, but I can't seem to muster the same enthusiasm this year, what with the strike still going on and no sign of resolution anywhere to turn to.

Still, it's a little bit of comfort to know that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, in handing out their nominations, did decide to include some of my favorite series this year around, including Pushing Daisies, Big Love, 30 Rock, and Damages. So thanks to the HFPA for recognizing creative genius and innovative television. My hat is off to you!

So which series and actors got nominated and which ones got left out in the cold? Below is a list of the TV award categories and their nominations, along with my reactions to the major categories.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA:

BIG LOVE (HBO)
DAMAGES (FX NETWORKS)
GREY’S ANATOMY (ABC)
HOUSE (FOX)
MAD MEN (AMC)
THE TUDORS (SHOWTIME)

While I loves me some Big Love (and I am absolutely pickled that the HBO polygamy drama has gotten some much-deserved recognition), I do have to shout at the top of my lungs for my near-obsession with FX's serpentine legal thriller Damages, a first-rate Shakespearean drama about about greed, power, and the never-ending battle between might and right.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA:

PATRICIA ARQUETTE - MEDIUM
GLENN CLOSE - DAMAGES
MINNIE DRIVER - THE RICHES
EDIE FALCO - THE SOPRANOS
SALLY FIELD - BROTHERS & SISTERS
HOLLY HUNTER - SAVING GRACE
KYRA SEDGWICK - THE CLOSER

Will The Sopranos' swan song season give Edie Falco yet another statuette to polish? Possibly, but I am hoping that the award gods instead smile down upon the virtuoso performance by Glenn Close this season on Damages, a layered, complex portrayal of a woman so driven by rage and the need to live that she not only destroys everything around her but stamps out little pieces of her own soul. If Patty Hewes doesn't want away a winner when the envelope is opened, I will be a sad, sad boy.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA:

MICHAEL C. HALL - DEXTER
JON HAMM - MAD MEN
HUGH LAURIE - HOUSE
JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS - THE TUDORS
BILL PAXTON - BIG LOVE

While others might push for Mad Men's John Hamm, my thoughts of who I'd like to win this category are Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton, Bill Paxton.

Could I be any clearer?

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:

30 ROCK (NBC)
CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
EXTRAS (HBO)
PUSHING DAISIES (ABC)

Another difficult category to pick one single favorite from, what with some of my absolutely favorite series--30 Rock, Pushing Daisies, Extras--represented here. I'd absolutely love it if Pushing Daisies got some award-season love (god knows the Emmys wouldn't chance it), but 30 Rock is hands-down the funniest comedy on television right now. Gee, makes me wish that there were separate half-hour and one-hour comedy categories, but at the same time I'm happy that for once Ugly Betty won't walk away with this award. Slight edge to 30 Rock, but Pushing Daisies' quirky sensibilities could win out here. And don't discount Extras, which concludes its hilarious (if all too brief) run this month.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL:

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE - SAMANTHA WHO?
AMERICA FERRERA - UGLY BETTY
TINA FEY - 30 ROCK
ANNA FRIEL - PUSHING DAISIES
MARY-LOUISE PARKER - WEEDS

America Ferrera will likely win for Ugly Betty, but I'd rather they instead bestow this award on one of two extremely talented actresses: either Pushing Daisies' delightfully wry Anna Friel or 30 Rock's embattled Tina Fey; both turn in gorgeous, hilarious performances, but manage to keep their characters likable and grounded. Come on, HFPA, do something daring and surprise us (pleasantly) for a change...

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL:

ALEC BALDWIN - 30 ROCK
STEVE CARELL - THE OFFICE
DAVID DUCHOVNY - CALIFORNICATION
RICKY GERVAIS - EXTRAS
LEE PACE - PUSHING DAISIES

Wowzers, this is a hard category to pick just one winner. In fact, I'd probably be okay if any of these extremely talented men walk away with the statuette, between 30 Rock's Baldwin, The Office's Carell (here in competition with Extras' Ricky Gervais, no less!), and Californication's Duchovny. But really, I have to ask the HFPA to share some love with the Pie Maker himself, Pushing Daisies' Lee Pace, whose wit, charm, and facility for rapid-fire banter has instantly endeared Ned and his special gift to me.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION:

ROSE BYRNE - DAMAGES
RACHEL GRIFFITHS - BROTHERS & SISTERS
KATHERINE HEIGL - GREY’S ANATOMY
SAMANTHA MORTON - LONGFORD
ANNA PAQUIN - BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE
JAIME PRESSLY - MY NAME IS EARL

Can I just say how sick and tired I am of Katherine Heigl? If I have to sit through one more commercial or product integration message about 27 Dresses, I think I will pull out all of my hair. While some might give the edge to Izzie--Grey's Anatomy is extremely popular around the world--or Rachel Griffiths, I do have to put in a good word for Damages' Rose Byrne. Her performance as naive Ellen Parsons this season was a thing of beauty to watch, as she transformed before our eyes from trusting innocent to scheming shark, all under the guidance and manipulation of Patty Hewes. You can literally pinpoint the moment when her world comes crumbling down around her.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION:

TED DANSON - DAMAGES
KEVIN DILLON - ENTOURAGE
JEREMY PIVEN - ENTOURAGE
ANDY SERKIS - LONGFORD
WILLIAM SHATNER - BOSTON LEGAL
DONALD SUTHERLAND - DIRTY SEXY MONEY

As much as I love Dirty Sexy Money (and Sutherland's surly, introspective magnate Tripp Darling), the edge here definitely goes to Damages' Ted Danson, who turned in a career-defining role as crooked fat cat billionaire Arthur Frobisher, a role that was shaded by uncertainty, fear, loathing, and an innate drive to win his war, no matter who got killed along the way. It's a bravura performance that has all but erased the memory of his last meaty role: womanizing Sam on Cheers, but in the best possible way.

So what do you think of the nominations? Who deserves to win, who got overlooked, and who will ultimately walk away with the top honors? Discuss.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Survivor: China (CBS); The Office (NBC); Smallville (CW); Ugly Betty (ABC); Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? (FOX)

9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); 30 Rock/Saturday Night Live Christmas (NBC); Supernatural (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Don't Forget the Lyrics (FOX)

10 pm: Without a Trace (CBS); Big Shots (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Ugly Betty.

On tonight's repeat episode ("Family/Affair"), Henry returns to Mode but Betty is distracted by Wilhelmina's offer to help solve Ignacio's immigration problem, if Betty keeps shtum about her affair with her bodyguard, an offer that tests Betty's loyalties to Daniel.

8 pm: The Office.

On tonight's repeat episode from Season Three ("Benihana Christmas"), Dunder-Mifflin Scanton ends up split down the middle when an argument among the members of the Party Planning Committee leads to two office Christmas parties. Meanwhile, Michael gets dumped by Carol (and right at the holidays too!) and invites the menfolk of Dunder-Mifflin to down their sorrows.

9 pm: 30 Rock.

On tonight's strangely untitled episode, the staff of TGS with Tracy Jordan celebrates their annual Luda Christmas party, Tracy finds his merriment derailed by a court-mandated alcohol monitoring bracelet, and Liz spends time with her parents and her brother Mitch (Andy Richter), who suffers from memory loss due to a decades-old skiing accident, and Jack receives a surprise visit from his mother Colleen.

9:30-11 pm: Saturday Night Live Christmas.

Because we all could do with some levity right now; take a trip down memory lane as the Not Ready for Primetime Players present some of their most memorable holiday-themed sketches.

Banter, Cajun Style on "30 Rock"

Oh, 30 Rock, I can always depend on you to lighten the mood any day and you didn't disappoint last night, with another delightfully over the top installment ("Secrets and Lies") that deftly juggled half a dozen or so plotlines while advancing the subplot about Jack and C.C.'s illicit affair.

With everything going on right now in Hollywood, it's easy to fall into a bit of a doom and gloom (albeit with some cautious optimism as talks between the WGA and AMPTP continue) but 30 Rock is always a beacon of hope in a schedule slowly being filled with more and more reality television. (Um, Baby Borrowers anyone? Didn't think so.)

What did I love about last night's episode? Liz catching Jack and C.C. passionately kissing in his office only to have him introduce to Liz as a business colleague named "Lakisha Gutierrez-Arafat," a moniker that will live on forever in infamy; Jack sending Jonathan to a "non-existent Italian bakery in Queens" as a diversion; Jenna's bitchy gay entourage and their use of the name Melissa as a toothy epithet; Tracy Jordan naming his kids Tracy Jordan Jr. and George Forman; how Liz's bra really was held together by Scotch tape; James Carville stealing candy from a vending machine and doing everything "Cajun style"; Jack's misogynistic allusion that women with ambition were like "dogs wearing clothes" and his greeting to a gathering of NBC execs included "token women." Oh and the throwaway line about Jenna having to get up at 4 am, go home, and then come in for a fake awards acceptance speech by Tracy via satellite.

The dinner party that Jack and C.C. threw--and only invited people of no influence or power, such as Kenneth the Page and Liz Lemon--was hysterical and went on for just the right amount of time. Having to sit next to Kenneth asking you questions about your most traumatic teenage experience while your boss makes googly eyes at his lover, "the most beautiful woman in the room," is my idea of torture, as much as I love Kenneth. Likewise, I thought the feud between Twofer and Frank, in which they dress up as OTT versions of each other, was a priceless subplot in its own right. Loved how Twofer's Frank hat said "Mom Expert," and how Frank put the Harvard cygnet pin on his crotch, not to mention, his description of his trip to fair Harvard.

My only problem with 30 Rock is that the TiVo-friendly series sometimes has too many hysterical asides, throwaway lines, and sight gags that it's impossible to recount them all here. (I know, high class problems.) The scene in which Jack and C.C. came out about their relationship was hysterical as it escalated from an uncomfortable silence when Jack identified C.C. as his "hippie-dippy mama" lover to hilarity as other execs made their own coming-out declarations about being gay, black, and, well, killing their wife. Loved C.C.'s apropos acknowledgment that she voted for Ronald Reagan in 1984. And the Shark Attack theme--begun by Tracy in his talk about his love for all things Pacific Rim and followed through on the fake satellite feed for all the "Pacific Rimmers" when he pulled down Jenna's top--had me rolling on the floor, especially when Jenna was more humiliated by Tracy not mentioning her by name than by her, er, wardrobe malfunction.

But then again, it's imperative that I love any series that has a producer present one of their stars with a fake award for Best Actress in a Film Based on a Musical Based on a Film (for Mystic Pizza: The Musical) that does in fact turn out to be a cookie.

30 Rock, I love you so much I want to take you behind the middle school and get you pregnant.

Next week on 30 Rock, the staff of TGS with Tracy Jordan celebrates their annual Luda Christmas party, Tracy finds his merriment derailed by a court-mandated alcohol monitoring bracelet, and Liz spends time with her parents and her brother Mitch (Andy Richter), who suffers from memory loss due to a decades-old skiing accident, and Jack receives a surprise visit from his mother Colleen.

Cougars and Bad News Bears on "30 Rock"

I think it's safe to say that, until 30 Rock came along, a comedy hasn't managed to perfectly capture my absurd sense of humor, love for Tivo-friendly sight gags, and tendency to fall madly in love with non-sequiturs since Arrested Development. And to think that the Emmy winner for Best Comedy was nearly canceled during its freshman season after just a handful of episodes. Where would we be today without the comedic genius that is 30 Rock?

Thursday nights can become a bit of a drag when it's populated by nothing but repeats. Fortunately, 30 Rock was there to lift my spirits last night with a hysterical brand new episode ("Cougars") by co-executive producer John Riggi that ranks up there with some of the series' very best and had me rolling on the floor with laughter.

This week's installment juggled several storylines flawlessly, including Liz's doomed affair with much-younger-man Jamie, Tracy's war with Jack over an underdog little league team from Knuckle Beach; and Frank's sudden man-crush on Liz's little coffee boy. All this AND homemade bacon and mint-flavored country gum from Kenneth. Does it get any better?

So what did I love so much about this week's episode? (Well, everything.) But to pick some gems, it had to be Liz's reaction to her new "Zac Efron" lookalike boytoy Jamie, who thought that Liz was 29. (She didn't do much to correct him on this front.) And when she finally did come clean at the club, she uttered a phrase that many New Yorkers are repeating today: "I'm 37, don't make me go to Brooklyn!" Still, I did kind of like Liz and Jamie together; Liz has been a mess since she ended her relationship with Floyd at the end of last season: ordering meatball subs with extra bread and watching Top Chef on TiVo by herself on Friday nights. (Can I say how much I loved Jack's mean-spirited spoiler that Casey was booted off that week? Awesome.) Now, she's going up on her roof with abandon, dating a guy with whom she shares a 17-year age difference, and partying at the same hotspots as Cirie. That's got to amount to progress, right?

It all came together when Liz picked up Jamie at his place, which he shares with his mom, only being 20. (Glad that they addressed the relative splendor of his apartment, unlike most NYC-set series which have their young protagonists living in all sorts of unrealistically luxurious places.) Loved the sight gag of Jamie's mom looking exactly like Liz Lemon. Fitting, hysterical, and heartbreaking all rolled into one, uncomfortable and squeamish ball. (Kinda like Jenna dating that 13-year-old guy with the wheelie sneakers and penchant for soda.)

Meanwhile, I absolutely loved the Tracy, Jack, and Kenneth storyline that had Tracy coaching a disadvantaged little league team from one of the city's roughest neighborhoods after his motorcycle ran over a police horse. (Only on this series would that sentence even remotely make sense.) The kids' dream-little life plans were hysterical ("One day I'll have an office like this... to clean!") as was their belief that Jack Donaghy was some sort of "king." Loved the Sheinhardt Wig Company uniforms, the "Fun Accomplished" banner, Jack's salute to General MacArthur, and the park's namesake statue of Jefferson Davis which the kids pulled down in a blatant shout-out to Iraq.

And the storyline in which Frank went gay for Jamie (but only Jamie) was also mordantly funny as he repeatedly found ways to touch Jamie (and then grossly smelled his fingers), bought the coffee boy a sweater (not on sale, he insisted), and presented him with a painting he made of a one-armed unicorn mermaid with Bigfoot. But the visuals of seeing Frank Rossitano (Judah Friedlander) in a red-and-white striped tank with a Freddy-from-Scooby Doo kerchief? Classic.

All in all, another brilliant episode of 30 Rock that delivered on every level and cheered me up immensely. I'm curious to know from you guys what you thought. Were you as enamored of this episode as I was?

Next week on 30 Rock ("Secrets and Lies"), Jack and C.C. face a crisis when she suggests they take their relationship public, while Liz attempts to satisfy the diva-like needs of her two stars, Tracy and Jenna.

Capulets and Romulans: Last Night's Episodes of "The Office" and "30 Rock"

I am feeling really melancholy this morning after watching last night's episodes of The Office and 30 Rock, especially given that The Office's lukewarm offering was the last episode of the NBC comedy that we'll see... until after the WGA strike is resolved.

Last night's installment of The Office ("The Deposition"), written by supervising producer Lester Lewis, was shockingly low-key in comparison to recent episodes, which had Michael driving a car into a lake, kidnapping a pizza delivery boy, and attempting to flee Scranton on a cargo train. But it wasn't the restrained tone that bothered me (in fact, we don't need the histronics of Season Four's one-hour episodes in order to find the funny), but it was so far understated that the entire episode seemed strangely static.

I've been calling for a return to more office-based humor and less field trips (unless they're organic like "Booze Cruise" or, hell, even "Branch Wars") for a while now and while this episode did just that--offering a warehouse ping-pong competition between Jim and Darryl, with warring girlfriends Pam and Kelly talking smack, while Michael testifies in Jan's deposition for her $4 million wrongful termination suit against Dunder-Mifflin--it felt oddly flat and uninspired.

The usage of "That's what she said" was completely mismanaged during the deposition scene. When the joke works it really works (as in last week's episode); here, it was so inappropriate that I had a hard time believing that Michael would really utter those words under oath, even if he was nervous at trying to remember all of his "lines."

What worked? Michael having to sit with Toby, only to upend his lunch tray seconds later, the reading of Michael's diary in which he admits, "Ryan is just as pretty as Jan, but in a different way" and Toby's subsequent laughter, the "Hiya, Buddy" hot dog drawing, and the consequences from that Sandals photo Michael accidentally sent out to everyone at Dunder-Mifflin.

I liked seeing a super-competitive Kelly Kapoor talking trash (or, sorry, smack) about Jim but I couldn't really get behind the entire ping-pong plot, which reminded me far too much of the basketball game from Season One's "Basketball." And not in a good way.

Or was I just so depressed by the fact that this could serve as an unintended season finale of The Office that I glumly overlooked something? On that count, I'm not sure that my mood influenced me too much; the episode did seem rather subpar, as though it were just going through the motions.

Over on 30 Rock, the mood was more convivial, but the series has had its funnier installments. Last night's episode ("Somebody to Love") found Jack falling for C.C. (guest star Edie Falco), a Democratic Congresswoman whom he meets at a conservative mixer and beds without realizing who she is. (Naysayers who wonder if Falco can do comedy have clearly never seen her film Judy Berlin.)

Jack and C.C. soon enter a secret affair while Liz suspects her new Middle Eastern neighbor Raheem of being a terrorist... only to learn that the clues she's uncovered reveal that he is applying to be on The Amazing Race. Oh, and Kenneth attempts to replace a pair of Jack's tuxedo pants that have gone missing by doing odd jobs--such as scaring a sleeping Lutz by wearing an ape mask or eating expired ketchup for money--around the office.

I thought that the Liz story was just slightly more effective than the Jack one, thanks to its brutal third-act twist regarding Raheem. I love the way that 30 Rock subtly paints liberal Liz as progressive in her views but secretly suffering from some racist tendencies; her paranoia was acutely felt but in a comedic way. Elsewhere, in this episode, there was way too much usage of the Lifetime Movie of the Week (A Dog Took My Face And Gave Me A Better Face To Change The World: The Celeste Cunningham Story) throughout. Instead of being a funny aside (loved the fact that the dog shot C.C. in the face with a hunting rifle), the footage soon overwhelmed the entire episode.

More subtle by far was the return of NBC fictional parent company The Sheinhardt Wig Company, here embodied in a series of t-shirts that many of the characters were wearing, following a rather public scandal involving illegal toxic dumping and orange-colored school children. And, um, the news headline about Anne Heche leaving her husband for a pony.

Roared with laughter at the blatant Verizon Wireless product placement gag and Liz's demand for money. As I did with a miffed Jack correcting the bartender that for men his drink of choice was called a Hardy Boy rather than a Nancy Drew.

Plus, how can you not love a series that has one of its lead do a Rerun-style dance (complete with red beret) while two others talk about the smell of maple syrup in the air, possibly caused by a biological weapon with the ability to kill within ten seconds? Even the warring Capulet and Romulan clans could agree on that.

Best line of the night (from either series): "We Parcells are neither wealthy nor circumcised, but we are proud!"