Edie Falco didn't win her deserved Emmy for The Sopranos this year. Maybe next year she can pick up a guest-acting award for 30 Rock, because she and Alec Baldwin knocked it out of the park in Thursday's episode.

(Maple syrup-scented spoilers on their way.)

The night's B- and C-stories -- Liz thinks her new neighbor (Saturday Night Live regular Fred Armisen) might be a terrorist, and Kenneth scrapes together the money to replace Jack's missing pants -- weren't that strong, despite some great individual moments in each. But the main thread, with Jack romancing Falco's congresswoman, was gold pretty much from start to finish.

When Falco got the chance to be funny on The Sopranos, she nearly always did it well, so it's not a big surprise that she handled the part tonight with such aplomb. What was a nice little revelation, though, was how well she took to the deadpan tone of the show, delivering lines like "Who knew that ottoman had wheels?" like they were the most normal things in the world.

Falco is set to appear in two more episodes this season (provided we get a full season), so we'll get to see a good deal more of the crackling chemistry between her and Alec Baldwin. Which is a good thing, because their forbidden affair -- she's an anti-big business Democrat with her own Lifetime movie who's going after NBC parent Sheinhardt Wig Co., he's -- well, he's Jack Donaghy -- has a lot of potential.

I mean, after all, how can any relationship that begins with "Wow, I never would have pegged you for a Tennessee sorority girl" and progresses to "We'll ignore our differences until the sex goes bad, then walk away bitter and angry" has to be destiny, right?

And just what were they doing with that ottoman? No, scratch that. Never mind. Don't wanna know.

More business from "Somebody to Love":

Tracy's attempts at playing Cyrano for Jack -- all filthy, all hilarious. "Tell her you want her privates and your privates to do a high-five!" "Tell her you want her to donate her body to science, and you're science!" And the one about the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, which I feel a little wrong reprinting in its entirety.

This episode once again demonstrated Liz's utter inability to read people. After seeing the maps on her neighbor Raheem's walls ("Like that one?" Pete asks, pointing to her wall. "That's different. It's an antique, and I'm a white lady.") and seeing him doing some obstacle course-like maneuvers on a playground, she jumps right to thinking he's a terrorist. Turns out he's just applying to be on The Amazing Race. Whoops.

Still, it let Liz say things like "I never make assumptions about race -- remember when I asked that black guy if he'd seen Sideways?" and torment Pete with her threats to call Homeland Security on him for defending Raheem.

A couple of lines from Jack: "I get my haircut every two days. After all, your hair is your head-suit." Bartender: "Here's your Nancy Drew, sir." Jack: "For men it's called a Hardy Boy." And finally, "I gave her the ottoman, and she walked out."

Of the various hijinx Kenneth engaged in to raise the $2,500 to replace Jack's pants, I think I liked the ape attack best. Either that, or "I tried looking in the last place you'd expect, but no, Mr. Donaghy's pants are not in that laser tag place on 12th Avenue."

The full title of the Lifetime movie based on Celeste's life, by the way, is "A Dog Took My Face, and Gave Me a Better Face to Change the World: The Celeste Cunningham Story." And that was another SNL-er, Kristen Wiig, starring as Celeste.

The show's product-placement bits are usually pretty good, but the Verizon plug, followed by Tina Fey turning to the camera and saying, "Can we have our money now?," felt off. Commenting on the crassness of the idea by being extra-crass didn't really do it for me.

Tracy's Rerun dance in the middle of the split-screen phone call, though, worked just fine.

What did you think of tonight's 30 Rock? Should Edie Falco book her Emmy reservations now?

Comments

I loved that on Kenneth's missing pants posters, he had "Reward: Hugs"

KJ Griffiy | Nov 15, 2007 9:37:42 PM | #

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Um, it wasn't a Verizon plug, it felt more like a dig at either NBC forcing product placement on 30 Rock, or a dig at the main sticking point in the writer's strike, not getting paid for advertising in non-TV media

Corey | Nov 15, 2007 10:56:12 PM | #

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Yeah, this episode was pretty lame. Except Tracy's rerun dance. that was excellent!

edgar | Nov 16, 2007 2:57:23 AM | #

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The crawl under C.C. when she was being interviewed on TV included, "Anne Heche leaves husband for a pony".

WillieMoPena | Nov 16, 2007 7:18:40 AM | #

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The racial profiling topic felt a little dated, but this episode was funny! 30 Rock is hitting its stride again. Jack grabbing his chest when he found out CC was a Democrat from (gasp) Vermont! Priceless.

Dawn | Nov 16, 2007 7:19:17 AM | #

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Not just the laser tag place but the women restroom at the laser tag place... Jack Donaghy is, hands down, the best character on TV right now.

Brian | Nov 16, 2007 8:31:28 AM | #

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I suspect they were told to put a Verison product placement gag in the script, and the extra (out of character) line was in reaction to that. But I guess it might have even been a reaction to the grievances of the writers--wanting to get paid now!

tacitus | Nov 16, 2007 11:32:18 AM | #

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Although I generally agree with your review, I thought the Verizon bit was HI-LARIOUS!!-one of my biggest laughs of the show!!

Now I am REALLY ANGRY about this strike!! This show is the funniest sitcoms on television right now.....

Sherry | Nov 17, 2007 5:58:21 AM | #

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Although I generally agree with your review, I thought the Verizon bit was HI-LARIOUS!!-one of my biggest laughs of the show!!

Now I am REALLY ANGRY about this strike!! This show is the funniest sitcoms on television right now.....

Sherry | Nov 17, 2007 5:58:29 AM | #

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30 Rock is the most original and funniest comedies in a number of years. It's just a shame it, along with THE OFFICE are sandwiched between the lame EARL and the past it's usefulness SCRUBS. If NBC gets on the ball and finds another hour of quality sitcom programming, "Must-See TV Thursdays" on NBC will be back!

mjf56 | Nov 27, 2007 5:12:27 AM | #

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