In Case You Missed It: 30 Rock

Episode 2, season 2, which includes the first-ever reference to "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah," the catch phrase "me want food," and Kenneth's attempt to save Tracy and Angie's marriage by making Tracy jealous...

Imagine Sister Patterson as Your Mother-in-Law!

Consider this a friendly reminder: the most-anticipated reality-show finale of the season turns up on our screens this Monday night, as VH1's I Love New York 2 calls it a season. Why anyone would want to fight for the hand of obnoxious, abrasive, and self-centered Miss Tiffany is beyond me, but fight they have... and it has come down to the final two: Buddha and Tailor Made.

I won't spoil the outcome in this public forum, but if you really, absolutely want to know who wins, then send me an e-mail and I'll send you a private message. Otherwise, watch it as it happens, when the finale of I Love New York 2 is unveiled this Monday evening at 9 on VH1.

Plan on Staying Home on Thursdays

I've got some BIG scheduling news to share with you: Lost is moving to Thursdays.

ABC, feeling the full brunt of the writers strike, will attempt to salvage what it can of its ailing prime-time by shifting the fourth season of its Wednesday hit Lost to Thursdays at 9:00. With this move, Lost (which has eight new episodes in the can) inherits the Grey's Anatomy timeslot for a couple of months. This move should help ABC in at least a couple of ways: first, with Grey's (ABC's number-one show) out of first-run episodes, the network ensures that it will remain strongly in the game on a Grey's-less Thursday night. And second, this move keeps Lost out of the direct path of that television steamroller known as American Idol.

With this move television's two best series, Lost and 30 Rock, will now be on Thursday nights. Note to my friends: I love all of you, but pleeeeeease don't call me on Thursdays.

Season four of Lost premieres January 31st at 9:00pm.

The Funniest Show That You're Not Watching

Gentle readers… I have but one question for you: why aren't you watching 30 Rock ?

For those of you in the know, 30 Rock is television's best comedy series. Hands down, without a doubt. For those of you not in the know, however, then please allow me to introduce you to 30 Rock. 30 Rock is a behind-the-scenes look at a network comedy/variety series, not unlike the venerable Saturday Night Live. Coincidentally enough two of 30 Rock's principals have blood-like ties to SNL: executive producer Lorne Michaels is, of course, the man who created (and to this day continues to run) Saturday Night Live, and star Tina Fey is a former cast member and head writer of that aforementioned late-night comedy franchise. Not a bad pedigree for a prime-time comedy, eh?

Now… with that introduction out of the way, allow me to return to my original question: why aren't you watching 30 Rock? Really. Please tell me. I need to know why this addictively-hilarious half-hour of prime-time television is barely registering on the Nielsen ratings scale. In its Thursday night time slot, NBC's 30 Rock often finishes in fourth place among programming offered by the five broadcast networks. It even gets beaten by the inane Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? Oh, the pain.

So what is it going to take to entice you to tune in? Well, I could tell you that NBC will pay you to watch, but… you and I both know that I'm just making that up. However… have I mentioned to you that in September of this year 30 Rock was awarded the coveted Emmy for best comedy series? Oh, and did I also mention that Tiny Fey was nominated for best actress in a comedy series, and that her co-star Alec Baldwin was nominated for best actor in a comedy series? Wait – here's one for you: the show is populated with former SNL veterans, including co-star Tracy Morgan, and recurring guest stars Rachel Dratch and Chris Parnell. Now am I starting to pique your interest?

Awards, nominations, and pedigree aside, the bottom line as to why you should be tuning in is this: 30 Rock is so consistently… funny. It's clever and it's quirky, and it's one of the few shows left in all of prime time that makes its viewers laugh out loud. And these days, laughter in prime time is a rare commodity indeed.

Season two of 30 Rock can be seen Thursday nights at 8:30 on NBC, and season one is now available on DVD.