30 Rock: What's the upside?

Just FYI: Because I was at last night's disappointing Yankee game until late in the evening, the only Thursday show I've seen so far is "30 Rock," and I may not get to watch the others until tonight. Sorry. Donaghy-themed spoilers coming right up...

Ah, well. After all the recent Alec Baldwin unpleasantness in the press made me feel squickier than I usually do at celebrity gossip -- not to mention Alec telling the folks on "The View" in today's pre-taped episode that he wants to leave acting in general and "30 Rock" in particular to focus on parental rights -- I had hoped that the "30 Rock" season finale would be so funny as to make me forget about that stuff for a while. Instead, after a long streak of absolute brilliance, Fey and company closed out their first season with the flattest episode in a while.

Sure, there were definite moments of hilarity: Dr. Spaceman's sex book, "You're Doing It Wrong!" ("My techniques guarantee a male orgasm") and Spaceman's explanation for his bloody lab coat; Jack's mouth tasting like purple and his speech about regrets in life; Kenneth promising to get Tracy back to New York in time for his traditional pre-show rant ("I think this one's going to be about immigration!"); and Jack's mom using the EKG as a lie detector.

But a little of Sean Hayes doing his Kenneth impression in the middle of a "Misery" parody goes a long way, the tension over how to do the show without Tracy didn't really work (though the bit about the RoboCop impression would have been funnier if Liz or Pete had responded to it with, "What else have you got? Juliette Lewis?"), and Emily Mortimer wasn't used as well as in the previous two episodes (though I like Phoebe's vertigo compounding the hollow bones problem in bed).

So before we enter the real hiatus, two questions: 1)Does the voicemail thing in any way affect your appreciation of Baldwin as you watch him?; and 2)If Baldwin is insistent on leaving and NBC decides not to force him to honor his contract, can "30 Rock" survive without him? Is there any actor who could adequately replace him -- and would be willing to do a weekly TV show? Click here to read the full post

Cleveland, 'Rock'

Brief spoilers for "30 Rock," "Scrubs" and "Grey's Anatomy" coming right up...

"30 Rock" is edging close to permanently bullet-pointed status, where I have nothing to say but listing the stuff I found funny. Some highlights in this episode:

• Tracy on the "Jefferson" budget: "It's gonna be at least 30 million dollars with all the Claymation sex scenes in it!"
• "Well played, Garkle."
• Kenneth's Michael McDonald impression
• Jenna drunkenly trying on thongs in the background of the Liz/Phoebe scene (now, I didn't miss her when she was gone, but she definitely can add something when she surives to final cut)
• The fact that Gordon from "Sesame Street" is an inner circle member of The Black Crusaders
• Jack running
• Liz trying mix in "By the Hammer of Thor!" (she and Will Ferrell really dig Norse pantheon references, don't they?) and "Blurg" (totally warranted after the guy spit in her mouth) into every conversation
• "This is Frank's "Hot Baby" sketch, which is regrettable...."
• Liz as catalog model
• Jack once again in a tuxedo after 6

I love that show so much.

"Scrubs" essentially went one-for-three in its Ted/Jordan/The Todd spotlight episode. Ted's narration had me laughing so hard I had to take a break to cure my hiccups (preferred method: chugging a glass of water), but The Todd stuff really only amused me during his parenting fantasy, and the Jordan material just fell flat, outside of the Elliott/Dudemeister stuff on the periphery. Still, I'm glad they tried it, and it's given me ever-increasing appreciation for the multiple talents of Sam Lloyd. He can sing beautifully, is a master air-bandist, and now can do brilliant voiceover narration and rock a powder blue polyester suit? They don't pay him enough.

I said last time that I was done blogging "Grey's Anatomy" at length, so all I have to say about last night's is that, while Izzie's situation sucked for her, the character's been mangled so badly that I spent most of the episode rolling my eyes like she had just made a Virginia Tech shout-out to gain some sympathy for her previous odiousness. Katherine Heigl did what she could (well-aided by Chandra Wilson), but my hatred for Izzie -- and for the seemingly inevitable Izzie/George 'ship -- overwhelms all.

What did everybody else think? Click here to read the full post

30 Rock: Let's go to the auction house (today)

"30 Rock" spoilers coming up just as soon as I turn on my humidifier...

Another great episode, though the Liz/Jack/Floyd stuff badly outshone Tracy and his erect horse. Before I talk about the comedy, though, I want to say a word or three about the music.

Jeff Richmond (aka Mr. Tina Fey) is the composer for this show, and his score is a huge part of why I love the show. The theme music aside (which I am never allowed to fast forward past, or else Marian will divorce me), it always sets the perfect tone, whether it's that "Piano Man"-esque accordion (or harpsichord) as Liz is strutting through the halls, secure in her relationship, or the tasteful string music for Jack's visit to Christie's to the ominous Bernard Herrmann-Hitchcock stuff when all of Liz and Floyd's phones started ringing in unison. Hysterical. Most sitcoms, even single-camera ones like this, don't do a lot with their score, but Richmond's work has been indispensible.

Jack's assault by phone and vestibule buzzer ("The call is coming from inside the house!") was the highlight, but the entire story of Jack and Floyd's mutual man-crush was great. Loved the title of Jack's book ("Jack Attack: The Art of Agression in Business"), loved the two of them studying the painting ("Is that lion eating the horse?" "Or perhaps it's eating universal healthcare."), loved Jack's despair at not being a creative type like Liz ("with your work sneakers and your left-handedness"), loved Liz trying to make her fuzzy PJs sexy ("It's got pockets! Are you into that?"), loved that the Christie's lady with the fragile bones (played, I think, by Emily Mortimer) worrying that Liz doesn't remember her each time they meet, loved it all.

The Tracy storyline, as I said, was more nebulous, but at least it gave us Kenneth knitting an NBC peacock bikini for his nana, the entourage guys preparing to buy iPhones (and sporting Bluetooths in the "Jefferson" trailer), and the unimpressive descriptions of Tracy in the trailer ("Source Award nominee Tracy Jordan... Academy Award watcher Tracy Jordan"). So that's something, I guess.

Two questions: does anybody miss Jenna? And when's the last time Rachel Dratch made one of her inconsequential cameos? Click here to read the full post

30 Rock: To the wig shop!

Spoilers for "30 Rock" coming up just as soon as I get this robe cut down to size...

I expressed a lot of my admiration for "30 Rock" in general and this episode in particular in this morning's column -- particularly Will Arnett's presence making the torch-passing from "Arrested Development" complete -- so I'll just list a few things that made me laugh and then open the floor to you:

• Liz calling out Jack and Devin for their duelling husky voices, with the best of those exchanges being "You're goin' down." "No, Devin. I don't do that." (Baldwin's delivery is so understated and yet dripping with judgment and loathing.)
  
• Kenneth's Buster Bluth-esque naivete about homosexuality, particularly "It's not really a team; it's just a bunch of guys who like to get together for gymnastics."
• The increasing dismay of Toofer as he realizes the truth about his ancestor.
• Tracy's explanation of how he couldn't be the father: "I never got out of the car and she never got all the way out of her toll booth."
  
• Dr. Spaceman explaining, "Science is whatever we want it to be."
• Floyd's drunken man on the street ad.
• The use of Ennio Morricone's "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" score.
• Liz's confessional about all her deep dark secrets, which was convincing in its ability to make Floyd forgive her.
  
• Liz and Pete's matching outfits (though did I forget Pete getting kicked out by his wife, or did this happen between episodes?).
• The closing credits for the 10-second web sitcom running longer than 10 seconds.

What did everybody else think? Click here to read the full post

Scrubs & 30 Rock: She's the decider!

Spoilers for NBC's two original comedies last night coming up just as soon as I get this blue ink off my hands...

While I'm still worried about the state of "Scrubs," this was the best episode they've done in quite some time, a nice mix of wacky comedy that actually worked and some pathos that felt earned because Private Dancer had been around for a while. Highlights: Cox going meta to explain everyone's comic function on the show (Ted's sad sack sigh made me laugh every time he did it), the Rashomon flashbacks to J.D. and Turk's college days (scored, I'm assuming, to a Kid N Play song), the revelation about the goldfish's name and Kelso's time in 'Nam, and (on a more serious level) the kiss between Elliott and Dancer. I'm not sure Sarah Chalke's ever looked prettier than she did in that moment, but what's Dudemeister going to say if he finds out his girlfriend is macking on random soldier boys?

"30 Rock" goes into its Andy Richter-induced hiatus with another terrific episode, featuring Tina Fey's best performance to date, completely insane and yet sympathetic because she knew how insane and awful she had become. Tracy's Scientology interview was awesome ("I believe vampires are the best golf players in the world and that their curse is that they'll never get to show it!"), and Nathan Lane underplayed nicely as Jack's brother. Molly Shannon always plays a good drunk, and nice to see Siobhan Fallon come out of mothballs to play another Donaghy sib. (Question: would it have been more or less distracting if Daniel, Stephen or Billy had played one of the siblings?)

What did everybody else think? If you could name your fists, what would those names be? And are you going to give "Andy Barker" a try or boycott it because it's temporarily taking this spot? Click here to read the full post

30 Rock: Is Wayne Brady gonna have to get shot by a b*tch?

Been getting a lot of complaints or queries in the comments and via e-mail about why I haven't written about certain shows lately. Sometimes, it's because I haven't seen them yet ("Friday Night Lights"), sometimes it's because I was too swamped at work the day after they aired ("How I Met Your Mother"), and sometimes it's because, by the time I get around to watching the show, I'm either not moved enough to comment ("24") or just feel like the discussion's come and gone (NBC's non-"Office" sitcoms last week).

So, in the interest of not falling too far behind on certain series, an open "30 Rock" thread to discuss what you've liked and what you haven't about the last few episodes, which I've thought were pretty darned hilarious. Adding to my ever-growing list of Things That Are Never Not Funny: running gags involving disgusting food or drink, so I was down with the Donaghy Estates subplot. Also loved them coming up with increasingly weird ways for Wayne Brady to be wrong for Liz (he collects tote bags?), Tracy's Oprah impression (Tina loves to spoof Oprah) and Kenneth getting chesty with Ridiculous.

What did everybody else think? Click here to read the full post

The one word you still can't say on television

Brief, belated spoilers for, in order, "30 Rock," "Knights of Propserity," "My Name Is Earl," "Scrubs" and "Survivor" coming right up...

A very strong "30 Rock" this week, particularly the montage of Liz the runt-y boss and Pete hitting her up for cash for the strip club. This was also one of the few times I liked a subplot where Tracy was relatively sane, and not just because they brought in Rip Torn as some kind of GE/NBC/Universal/KMart bigwig. Liz being a rare female boss in an agressively male profession and Tracy being a has-been who's oblivious to being a has-been are both good comedy fodder, and they haven't exhausted either one yet.

The "Knights of Prosperity" guys appear to have written a series finale without even realizing it. In case you didn't see the episode, the guys saved Esperanza from her evil Colombian drug lord ex-boyfriend (Bobby Cannavale, and is he too young and/or well-known to qualify for Hey It's That Guy! status?) by trading him all of their intel and resources on Mick Jagger's apartment in exchange for her freedom. On paper, it allows them to work around Mick's lack of interest in coming back, but I also think it gives ABC an excuse to pull the plug, immediately, because the ratings have been awful, losing huge chunks of the lead-in from "George Lopez" -- "George Lopez" -- every week. Considering the struggles of "In Case of Emergency" and ABC's belief that the best lead-in for "Lost" is "Lost," I wouldn't be stunned to see "Lopez" and "According to Jim" airing from 8 to 9 as soon as this week.

After a few back-to-formula episodes, "My Name Is Earl" presents another treat for Bad Earl fans like me, with an entire episode of Bad Earl's greatest hits. My favorite: the montage of Earl making fat jokes about pregnant Joy, as there was a level of glee to Jason Lee's delivery that reminded me of Banky and/or Brodie.

I'm really not feeling "Scrubs" at the moment, unfortunately. This episode didn't have any jarringly bad decisions like Kim faking a miscarriage, but it just feels like the writers are forcing the wackiness. And at the same time, the show's been so hardcore wacky for a while that the emotional moments don't work. J.D.'s realization that he needs to grow up and stop leaning on his friends to solve every problem should have been an important milestone for the character, but he's become such a cartoon in the last year and a half that I don't expect the development to stick. For most of last season, the more ridiculous tone was fine because the show was so funny; lately, I'm not laughing very much, and that hurts everything.

Also not feeling "Survivor" yet. Still too many contestants, and they're no longer even trying to be subtle about who's going to Tribal Council, as it felt like we spent about 30 seconds at the fancy camp. I think my problem with the feast-or-famine twist is that it hasn't been earned. In "Pearl Islands," Sandra's team had such a kick-ass camp because she did an amazing job of bartering in town, while the opponents ran around like chickens with their heads cut off, foreshadowing how badly they would do in most challenges. In "Palau," Tom's team won an amazing camp little by little through pure challenge dominance. Here, one team won a relatively tight Immunity Challenge, and now they get to live high on the hog at least until the next twist? Meh. Aside from Earl and the snakes coming to an understanding, the entire hour was flat.

What did everybody else think? Click here to read the full post

What's Alan watching on a long delay?

Weekend catch-up post, with comments on, in order, "Grey's Anatomy," "The O.C.," "30 Rock," "The Knights of Prosperity" and "House" coming up just as soon as I get dressed for my pylon-lifting class at the gym...

Back when ABC did a "Grey's Anatomy" press conference shortly before the Super Bowl bomb two-parter, we weren't allowed to see the episode in advance (part of Shonda's quest to stamp out all spoilers), so all we had to go on was a vague trailer that looked an awful lot like an ad for one of those Very Special "ER" sweeps episodes where a tank crashes into the emergency room while the Symbionese Liberation Army holds Peter Benton hostage and forces Carter to perform elective surgery on their leader. Somebody asked Shonda whether she was comfortable with her show entering territory so close to "ER," and she flashed her usual Cheshire grin and said that, while the stakes were higher, it would still clearly be an episode of "Grey's," with the focus on the emotional journey of her characters more than on pyrotechnics.

She was true to her word then, and she's been largely true to her word on the sweeps disaster episodes since, but this week's episode felt exactly like something "ER" would do, with one exception: "ER" would have done it better. Whatever morbid problems that show has suffered in its decline phase, they still produce the hell out of all those plane crashes and train crashes and kielbasa stand crashes, to the point where even if I hate every single character remaining on the show, I still get excited when stuff starts blowing up real good. "Walk on Water" felt like it was trying to quicken my blood in that way, but it never got there. Even Alex's rescue of the crush injury woman (and bravo to the makeup department for their work on her) came and went too quickly.

Now, if the emotinal journey stuff had been more interesting, I could have let the lack of goosebumps slide, but I didn't really care what was happening to any of the regulars this week, with the possible exception of poor Chief Weber. That scene in the elevator where Addison dressed down the male attendings was priceless, and the only part of the hour that actually felt like "Grey's Anatomy."

The third-to-last episode of "The O.C." had me wondering: if the Internet is for porn, then how much of it is for clown porn? After the furries gag a few episodes ago, what's next? A rusty trombone joke? (Oh, wait: that's "The Loop" territory.) This was another fairly aimless episode, with the Seth/Summer plot feeling particularly strange. Summer complains that Seth doesn't feel passionate about anything, when Seth's defining quality is that he feels too passionate about things: comics, sailing, Summer, Asian cinema, video games, comics, emo music, comics, etc. Those may not be worthy enough subjects for the worldly new incarnation of Summer, but the guy does care about things.

"30 Rock" has been on a real high of late, so I suppose it was inevitable they'd put out an a'ight-blah episode right about now. There was some hilarious Jack stuff, notably the sequence of him getting progressively drunk (loved the way it was edited so he would always be holding his new drink in the final shot of the old scene) and he and his ex getting hot and bothered while arguing about their Arby's franchise in Telluride, but the rest of the episode fell flat. Tracy was too sane, Pete's story didn't have an ending, Liz seemed trapped in her own subplot, and outside of Jenna's brilliant Vagina Day monologue, I didn't like her storyline with Frank. Even Kenneth didn't make me laugh (outside of the "16 Candles" shout-out with his underpants, and what's with two shows on at the same time doing "16 Candles" refs?), and he's usually the show's secret weapon.

I've had some requests for "Knights of Prosperity" commentary, and I really wish I could say kinder things about the show, as I'm usually a fan of the comedy stylings of Burnett, Beckerman and Logue. But each episode inevitably fades into background music for me after five minutes or so, and I only feel really compelled to look at the screen whenever Rockefeller is talking. (Kevin Michael Richardson is proof that voice actors don't get enough respect in this business.) The cover version of "Cats in the Cradle" was a nice touch, but it's also typical of the way "Knights" uses pop culture references as its dominant source of punchlines. I don't feel like the characters are clearly established enough for me to laugh at them for their own sake, as opposed to when they're name-checking some heinous '80s movie.

"House" gets back to basics, and I couldn't be more pleased. Loved that he was so insistent on winning the bet with Cuddy that he rolled his chair down a flight of stairs. Foreman's always been my favorite of the three sidekicks (he's House's favorite, too), so I'm glad anytime he's the lead on a case. Raise your hands, anyone who doesn't believe House and his pretty new wheelchair-bound rival will get involved, however briefly and disastrously.

What did everybody else think about any of these? Click here to read the full post

30 Rock: Someone call Dr. Spaceman!

"30 Rock" spoilers coming up just as soon as I properly digest some grapes...

Well, if there was any doubt left that this is the successor to "Arrested Development" -- in spirit if not always in execution -- this episode should put an end to that. This was the most anarchic and joke-filled "30 Rock" has been so far, and Paul Reubens' character could have been second cousin to Martin Short as Fake Uncle Jack. ("Shoot me!")

In my review, I pointed to the "Pretty Woman" jewelry box joke as an example of the uniquely female POV that Tina Fey has given this show, and a reader pointed out that a similar gag was recently done on a sitcom with a predominantly-male writing staff: "Arrested Development." (It was in one of Charlize Theron's episodes.) So I inadvertently proved one point (or, at least, suggested that Fey and company steal from the best) while attempting to prove a different point. Idiocy or genius? You make the call. Maybe a better example of the feminine thing would have been Jack's ex-wife going nuts not over the bevy of supermodels, pop stars or Secretaries of State, but over him being with someone where it could be real. That's not something that would have automatically occurred to me, though you could just as easily blame that on me being stupid as me being a dude. Honestly, I don't know where I'm going with this one. Moving along...

The only thing keeping this episode from being up there with the poker episode or "The Rural Juror" was the Pete and Tracy subplot, and even that had its moments, notably Kenneth's interpretation of "Footloose" ("where those evil kids won in the end") and a new twist on the verrrrry old angel/devil on the shoulder gag. I just feel like Fey and the writers have such a good handle on who every other character is, whereas they're still trying to figure out Tracy. Jenna, for instance, isn't remotely as funny as Tracy is in his better episodes, but she's consistent, and it's easier to do a quick gag based on our knowledge of her and how she'd behave in certain situations.

Here's a question for all of you: given how many times in only a dozen episodes the show's gone to the well about Liz and Jack's attraction to each other -- or, rather, lack thereof -- do you think the show ever actually Goes There, and, if so, as anything other than an immediately-regretted one-nighter?

Favorite jokes, other than the ones already mentioned:

• Fey almost immediately undercutting how good she looked in the gown (and she did look good) with her complete inability to walk in it.
  
• Pretty much every line Will Forte delivered. ("His body does not produce joint fluid.")
• "When Gearhardt was born, the doctor told his mother and cousin he would either live for 15 minutes or a hundred years. Boy, he proved them all wrong."
• "Your name sounds Jewish. You must be important."
• Pete's Elmo impression going to the angry place.
• Jack's ex going to the angrier, strippier place, especially after Liz boasting about how red her face would get.
  

What did everybody else think? Click here to read the full post

Earl & 30 Rock: My name is Glurg

Spoilers for, in order, "My Name Is Earl" and "30 Rock" just as soon as I submit my application to the Ho Chi Minh School of Medicine...

Wow, the "My Name Is Earl" writers have just blown up the formula, haven't they? And I couldn't possibly be more pleased. They're on a great run right now, with the Mexico trip, last week's "COPS" visit, and now the "My Name Is Randy/Joy/Crabman/June Cleaver" perspective-shifter. (Best fake credits, by far: Crabman. I remember his love of cheese, but is him being a cello virtuoso new information?) It almost makes the first season feel worth it because it layed the groundwork for all these unconventional episodes.

The "Rur Jur" returns on "30 Rock," and it's still funny. (In particular, I liked Frank trying to make sense of that "View" interview and complaining, "I feel like I'm getting further away from it.") The Meat Machine story turned into a rip-off of The Cornballer at the end, but Dr. Spuh-che-men is quickly becoming an indispensible recurring character, so I won't complain too much.

Best scenes: Jack being schmoopy on the phone with Maureen Dowd (and is this in any way a dig at Aaron Sorkin, or just a dig at Maureen Dowd?), Jack explaining the GE corporate flowchart (a wig company "owns NBC outright"?), Dougie the prop guy harassing Kenneth with a fake bass, the Rashomon approach to the Liz/Jenna flashbacks (particularly Liz's boyfriend), and Dratch's Barbara Walters, which I liked much better than anytime she did it on "SNL."

What did everybody else think? Click here to read the full post

In a VAN DOWN BY THE O.R.!

Spoilers for, in order, "Scrubs," "30 Rock" and "My Name Is Earl" coming right up...

I've already seen an advance copy of the "Scrubs" musical (short version: "Buffy" did it better, but still a lot of fun), so I kept being distracted during "My House" wondering when somebody was gonna sing. Good episode, and a more extended look at the eerie Cox/House parallels that we've all been noticing for a few years now. Frankly, I wish they could have really gone to town on that subplot, but servicing four stories in 20 some odd minutes makes that tough to pull off. (And a question for the many medical minds out there: in the original Orange Guy story in the "House" pilot, it was the carrot juice -- or maybe some kind of carrot-y vitamin, I forget -- that turned the man orange, where here Cox said that would make someone yellow. Who's right?)

Few other random thoughts before moving on to "30 Rock":

• I really wish they had brought Elizabeth Banks in for a different storyline that just let her be funny all the time.
• The Janitor's art (as seen above) rules.
• Hands up, anyone who somehow didn't realize it was Carla crying as soon as Party Doc mentioned it to Cox. They've been subtler.
  
• Hands up, anyone who intends to incorporate "mega-loathe" into everyday speech.
• Dave Foley! Love Dave Foley. Still trying to figure out exactly when this whole Satanic imp look of his started, however. What was he up to between "NewsRadio" and the celebrity poker show?

Now, "30 Rock." Is there any circumstance under which Alec Baldwin doesn't win the supporting actor Emmy? Big name star, satirizing cluelesss Hollywood executives, and screamingly funny all the time. The stress eating. The casual way he delivers lines like "My mother sent me to Vietnam to try to make a man out of me. I was 12." The contempt he puts into phrases like "trawling for seed." The rage behind "YOU CUT POP'S BALLS OFF! AND LEFT HIM IN THE STREET TO DIE!" Amazing.

A good Liz episode, too, and I never get tired of hearing Tina Fey refer to "my junk." Dr. Spacemen returns (and reveals multiple specialties), Tracy casually refers to "sex pooping," and the dubbing on the Jack and Tracy impressions was just obvious enough to actually make them funnier. (The faux-Baldwin sounded like Tom Davis dubing for Bill Murray in "Il Returno De Hercules.")

But the funniest show of the three, by quite a stretch, was "My Name Is Earl." This is why I've been arguing for more of Bad Earl. This right here. And you can tell the writers have wanted to go here, too, because the entire season's been leading up to it, notably his babyishness during the Mexico two-parter. Earl (man and show) gets funnier and oddly more likable the worse he behaves, and the entire episode felt packed with gags that the writing staff had been saving up for the right occasion (the stolen artificial voice box, the photo booth bit, Randy's "I love stealing!"). How do I not remember that Tim Stack (as himself) lives in Camden County? His IMDb entry -- which, at the moment, has 63 acting entries, not 62 -- lists him in an early first season episode. Did I miss it, or did it not address the fact that it was Tim Stack as Tim Stack? I love that guy, and great to see him in the Notch Johnson costume again.

But the highlight -- especially in light of the "Pardon the Interruption" discussion below -- was them recreating the bear/trampoline video that Tony played, like, three times a week for most of 2005.

What did everybody else think? Click here to read the full post

30 Rock: Hey, Dr. Spacemen, won't you please take me along for a ride?

"30 Rock" spoilers coming up just as soon as I figure out whether I have a toupee coming in my future...

Very girl-with-the-curl episode. What was good (everything not involving Tracy) was very good, but what was bad (everything involving Tracy) was awful. And Rachel Dratch must have been sobbing in hair and makeup every time she had to get dressed up as Blue Man. She left "SNL" for this?

As Dratch's replacement, Jane Krakowski hasn't exactly dazzled, but the whole "Rural Juror" joke was so good that anyone could have sold it. (That and Dr. Spuh-che-men were reminders that a silly name is its own comedy reward.) Jack's contempt for Liz keeps coming out in very specific ways (the Bryn Mawr put-down, "What am I, a farmer?"), and I even liked Pete having to wear the stupid wig.

But the Tracy scenes were just painful, and I say that after having been pleasantly surprised by Tracy for most of this season. I appreciated the use of the classical music and Liz's low blood sugar to go for a more farcical tone, but the stupid over-the-topness (is that even a word? no, I don't think so) of the Tracy stuff derailed it.

What did everybody else think? Click here to read the full post

I'm expecting a call from 1983

A bit slammed right now, but use this thread to comment on "My Name Is Earl" and "30 Rock" here. Click here to read the full post

Thursday night round-up

Spoilers for, in order, "30 Rock," "Earl," "Survivor" and "Grey's Anatomy" coming right up...

Product integration and NBC: perfect together. Well, kinda. I saw "The Office" in advance, so I don't know how I would have responded to seeing the Staples ad live. But airing this "30 Rock" episode directly after that is either taunting or demented genius. I haven't decided yet. Probably it's both. The Snapple gag has been done better elsewhere (posters in "The Office" entry have name-checked "Wayne's World," and "Arrested Development" did it brilliantly with Carl Weathers and Burger King), but it was a good episode, highlighted by Liz's "nut up" pep talk to Jack -- and, of course, Jack's continued belittling of Liz's sexual appeal. I also liked Tracy's "Man, George Will gets more conservative every day!" Unlike "The Office," this one did feel padded; they could have shaved it down to standard length without losing much.

Ditto "My Name Is Earl," an episode clearly written by someone who had just gotten back from seeing "An Inconvenient Truth." The best parts of the episode came before Earl's global awakening, whether it was Crabman lamenting Joy's inability to understand the irony of stealing the polygraph machine or Randy complaining that he had already seen that episode of "Friends." Outside of Claymation Catalina jiggling as she dusted (followed by the revelation that the flesh-and-blood Catalina was just as jiggly), the writers didn't do a whole lot with Randy's hallucinations, and Christian Slater continues to prove that his Nicholson impression was the most interesting thing about him. Not a bad episode, but definitely not up to last week's standard.

Okay, I think "Survivor" has me hooked back in, and not just because we could be heading towards some kind of Down With Whitey scenario where Nate realizes the original Raro are putting the band back together and tries to latch on with Yul's small but dedicated band. I always love a good triumph of the underdog story -- though any team that has Yul and Ozzy in it is only an underdog to a point -- especially since I loathe everyone on Raro save Jonathan. If he's as smart as he usually thinks he is (save the mutiny, and even there he immediately recognized the screw-up), he'll look one move ahead and try to beat Nate to the punch of teaming up with Aitu. Given their hatred of Candace ("1, 2, 3... Candace!" was awesome), I think he might have a shot at reconciling with them by blaming it all on her. He's not going to win no matter which team succeeds in Pagonging the other, but he at least has the ability to make sure the good guys come out ahead.

As for "Grey's Anatomy," I don't know that I'm feeling the love right now. They're not doing anything egregious at the moment, but it's turning into a show that I keep on in the background while I surf the web, fold laundry, pay bills, etc. On the other hand, I can't feel too apathetic when they let Bailey sing. Am I correct in assuming that, like Sara Ramirez, Chandra Wilson has some Broadway credits? And how long before Callie gets to bust out those golden pipes? Click here to read the full post

30 Rock: I just got back from Ann Coulter's 60th birthday party

No major spoilers, but "30 Rock" gets a big thumbs-up just for that line, and for the rehearsal snippet of Jack's "Meep! Meep!" sketch. Last week's episode was more consistently funny, but this is turning out to be a good little comedy. Loved the Sorkin pedeconference parody. Click here to read the full post

30 Rock: Is it because she's a lesbian?

Today's column deals with NBC's Thursday shake-up at greater length, plus Liev Schreiber doing fill-in work for William Petersen on "CSI."

As for "30 Rock" itself, Alec Baldwin continues to carry the show on his broad, hairy back. Liz choking alone (twice) was lifted from a Miranda subplot on "Sex and the City," but I thought it was funny that they cast a hot blonde "Law & Order" alum as Liz's lesbian date, only they didn't get the right one. Ah, it's okay -- Alexandra Cabot always gave out a butchier vibe than Serena.

What did everybody else think? Click here to read the full post

30 Rock: Plugs within plugs

Since I had already watched the "30 Rock" pilot (both the Dratch and Krakowski versions), I didn't bother tuning into it tonight, but my buddy Phil just called me to point out that, shortly after a scene where Alec Baldwin's character talks up a certain type of GE oven, NBC actually ran an ad for said oven. Anybody else catch this?

Also, feel free to use this thread as a place to comment on both "30 Rock" and "Twenty Good Years," for anyone who watched. Click here to read the full post