At 8:30 PM will be the premiere of 30 Rock, the SNL-satire from Tina Fey, who will be forsaking her head writer duties on the real Saturday Night Live, but not her Weekend Update co-anchor spot, to write, executive produce and star in 30 Rock. I’m assuming that even if the show doesn’t achieve the brilliance that it is capable of, the worst episode of 30 Rock will be better than the best episode of many other sitcoms on television. I say this based on nothing but the fact that Weekend Update is constantly the funniest part of SNL, and that Mean Girls was one of the most surprisingly funny movies I’ve seen in the past few years (don’t deny it, you get passed the Lindsay Lohan, and there’s a quality movie there). With Tina Fey headlining, Alec Baldwin as a new Network president, and SNL-alums Rachel Dratch and Tracy Morgan rounding out the cast, this show has a lot more to live up to in my mind than Studio 60. This fresh comedy block doesn’t seem like an ideal pairing with a fresh cycle of The Biggest Loser, a show I like to watch because it makes me feel pretty good about my life. As I shovel nachos into my mouth, I can at least say to myself, well, you’re not fat enough to be on The Biggest Loser. At 10 PM will be the premiere of the new show Kidnapped, which sounds like it may be a frontrunner for first casualty of FALL 2006 if it doesn’t deliver solidly on its been-there-done-that premise: A wealthy family’s teenage son is kidnapped, and it’s up to the psycho brother from Six Feet Under (Jeremy Sisto) to get him back. The show has an impressive pedigree – Dana Delaney, Timothy Hutton and Delroy Lindo co-star and David Greenwalt (Angel) is one of the shows producers – but is anyone clamoring for another serialized thriller? However, this does look more appealing than the Da Vinci Code knock off, Vanished, premiering this fall on FOX. I’ll be the first to eat my words if the show is more of a Prison Break than a Reunion.

Thursday

“I JUST NEEDED YOU TO KNOW… ONCE”

Oh Must-See-TV, how far you’ve fallen! With the sad state of Thursday night on NBC, it’s hard to remember that Thursday night on NBC was a fixture from before those coffee-loving genetic freaks hung out here through most of the '90s. Thursdays on NBC is where The Cosby Show, Cheers, Seinfeld, etc. all set up shop from the early '80s on. So it’s no wonder that NBC is trying desperately to keep the tailspin that Joey Tribbinani caused under control (even sadder, the thought that poor, sweet, trashy Adrianna had to get whacked on The Sopranos so Drea De Matto and her body of steel could head on over to LA with her brother Joey). The original plan was to start the evening off with their two biggest comedy hits (and arguably, the two best comedies on television), My Name Is Earl and The Office, followed by the hyped-to-the-hilt Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and finishing off the night with old standby ER. It sounded like the return of Must-See-TV to everyone! Including ABC, who decided to transplant the horny interns of Grey’s Anatomy to Thursdays at 9PM (did you hear about that one yet?), all but guaranteeing that Studio 60 would be crushed under the weight of McDreamy’s hair product. So NBC blinked. They are keeping My Name Is Earl at 8 PM and The Office at 8:30 PM, and it has to be said: The Office is my favorite comedy on television. The season finale was, in a word, genius. If you are not watching because you’re a fan of the original British version or because you don’t think you can click with the funky rhythms of the show, please give it a shot (either on iTunes or reruns or on DVD). You will not be sorry. Jim and Pam forever! Everyone else never! Also, let’s give some love to My Name is Earl, which is a solidly funny and quirky show, thanks in no small part to a crackerjack ensemble, especially Jamie “Who Knew You Were Anything But a Hot Piece of Ass” Pressley, giving a comic tour de force. Seriously, watch this hour of comedy next season.

At 9PM NBC will air another hour of Deal or No Deal, and while it’s not the sexiest scheduling choice, it’ll be a solid ratings winner in a tough time slot. At 10 PM someone will surely care that ER is back for its umpteenth season. It’s just not me. At midseason, NBC will premiere The Black Donnellys, a drama about four young working class Irish brothers getting into trouble in New York City. The show is getting great buzz and comes from Paul Haggis, director of the Academy Award winning Crash, a great movie (although I felt its message was a little heavy handed at times). This leaves me excited for Donnellys, and its solid young cast including Jonathan Tucker (one of Leatherface’s more unfortunate victims in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake), Thomas Guiry and everyone’s favorite lesbian teen fling, The O.C.’s Olivia Wilde. I think the plan is to move Donnellys to another night after premiering it Thursdays at 10PM for a few weeks during an ER hiatus.

Friday

Posted by on May 31, 2006 12:48 PM