Good To Be Back

No I'm not referring to the first week of spring semester law school.  I'm referring to regularly scheduled programming.  This week marked the official return of the network TV comedies you know and love (Although CBS had to bump it's Monday night line-up's return a week early because of some exhibition football game and Modern Family should probably have chucked it's episode last week).

Earlier in the fall I did a rundown of many of my favorite shows on their premiere, and this week has the same feel.  But because of the previous piece (and having written a piece on the best comedy on TV a few weeks ago for another publication) I'm just going to focus on one return I found particularly satisfying: 30 Rock.

This could be because 30 Rock was in fact a true premiere.  NBC pushed back 30 Rock's premiere for two reasons: the main was that Tina Fey had a baby.  The second was it was trying to rescue Community (which deserves rescuing let this and this serve as an example) and promote Whitney (which rightfully has been relegated to the Wednesday death slot because the same "I hate relationships but I like relationships" joke can only be done about once, maybe).

Tonight's episode was a great return.  It wasn't a great episode, but it was a great return.  Sometimes a show doesn't have to blow your mind, or reach the zenith of comedy to be good (Parks and Rec is the master of this, even it's "bad" shows have a way of making you feel good).  30 Rock was just what it needed to be, 30 Rock.  A goofy, satirical take on life on a TV show by Tina Fey.  It was very familiar plotlines: Jenna and Tracy battling about fame, Kenneth being a crazy hillbilly.  But there were some good twists tonight.  For example John McEnroe being a happy-go-lucky celeb judge on a crappy singing contest. 

I'm not quite sure what the Jack/Liddy plot confusing "mommy" with "money" was all about, except maybe to reinforce that Jack really is the perfect executive: money is what matters.  But the last plot line was so good it made up for it.  They've done the Liz Lemon tries to change/ be happy/ not stress over everyone else's selfishness before.  But in the past she eventually collapses and Jack teaches her a lesson in management.  This time he didn't get the best of her (even though he figured her out).  What was even better was the mystery added to the end.  It was definitely great to see her genuinely happy especially the hilarity that ensued at finding out what made her happy (and the tag was amazing).

So it was great to have you back TGS with Tracy Jordan.  Your hijinx have been missed.