"30 Rock"
Thursday 8:30pm, NBC
I initially wrote off this "Saturday Night Live"-inspired sitcom after its fairly flat pilot. But then I caught a couple episodes toward the end of last season and discovered that it had matured into one of the most delightfully cracked-out comedies on TV. Tina Fey is so damned likable as put-upon writer Liz Lemon; Jane Krakowski puts her "Ally McBeal" zaniness to better use as a desperate, dim-bulb comedian; and Tracy Morgan makes up for years of wasting space on "SNL" with his parody character, Tracy Jordan. But the real star of the show is Alec Baldwin, who squeezes every drop of mind grape juice from his Jack Donaghy, unquestionably the role of his career. The show also puts guest stars to ingenious use (Isabella Rossellini, I still dream of you and your Big Beef ‘n’ Cheddar); this season, look for Edie Falco, David Schwimmer and, allegedly, Al Gore.
"Charlottesville Inside-Out"
Thursday 8:30pm, WHTJ
This new interview program hosted by local singer/songwriter Terri Allard takes its name from its format: episodes begin with Allard introducing the guests from inside WHTJ’s Mall-side studio and then head into the city and county to explore their areas of expertise. The debut episode features segments with Mark Thompson, brewmaster at Starr Hill Brewery, and Susanne Kogut, executive director of the Charlottesville- Albemarle SPCA. This season, look for interviews with City Schools Superintendent Rosa Atkins, UVA prez John Casteen, filmmaker Paul Wagner, Monticello’s Dan Jordan and others.
"Heroes"
Monday 9pm, NBC
It was inevitable that "Heroes" would return from its super-successful first season with a sophomore slump. The show has taken a beating both in the critical press and the ratings, shedding nearly 3 million viewers from last year. But honestly, folks, the show isn’t that bad. I urge fans to remember that Season One started out very, very slowly and built into a tight, surprising and surprisingly emotional epic by season’s end. The producers have admittedly made a few frustrating decisions (separating Hiro from the rest of the cast again; Peter’s jump to a deserted future New York is just too similar to Hiro’s jump last year; enough with the Maya death-eye thing). But I’m enjoying several of the arcs, and have fallen totally in love with newcomer Monica, who has even made Micah bearable. Stop the hate, people.
