TVSquad

(S02E02) "Hey Banks, what are you doing in town...drawn to the phallic nature of our skyline?"

OK everyone, before we even start the review, head on over to the NBC store and order your "Me Want Food!" T-shirts! It's the new phrase everyone will be talking about tomorrow morning at your office. The offices that watch 30 Rock, that is.

I saw the little ad at the bottom of the screen and I had no idea what the hell it was until the writing guys said it as Jenna's new catch phrase. I'm usually annoyed by those little ads but this one didn't bother me.

OK, the episode. For some reason - I'm not quite sure why - I was prepared for a letdown this week. No explanation for it at all, and I'm happy to say my crazy fears were all imaginary (as most of my crazy fears are). There were parts of this episode that were insanely funny. I'm talking choke on a hot dog while playing tag football in the park funny. So many crazy things happening, but it all seems to make sense.

Devon Banks is back, supposedly non-gay this time and engaged to Don Geiss' daughter. But has he really been cured by the "Stan Lee cult?" Not really. He's still turned on by Kenneth, who accidentally blurts out that Jack had a heart attack last spring. Banks decides to use it as leverage in his battle to get Geiss' spot, but we all know that will backfire.

That's one of the things I like about this show. It could easily be all stand alone episodes, but there are continuing stories as well. Jack's hiding his heart attack from NBC execs (I finally understand now why Jack sniffed the french fries poster in Liz's office last week), Liz and the wedding dress and not getting on with her life, Tracy being separated from his wife (Sherri Shepherd, not mentioning anything about a flat earth), and Jenna's weight. They could have easily gotten rid of Jenna's weight problem with some wacky "solution" (weird one week Hollywood diet, a surreal one liner, something), but kudos to Jane Krakowski for donning the fat suit for another week and wanting to keep the fat (if for oddly vain reasons).

Some thoughts about this week's ep:

- Unlike last season, when Tracy was a big part of the show, he seems to be part of the B plot this season. Maybe they're trying to make it a true ensemble or maybe they just have certain plots to progress further early in the season. But it's actually OK. The show is funny anyway and I always get a kick out of the way Tracy's odd lines ("Angie's in the past, like Dracula and broadcast television") and plot developments come out of nowhere, like that "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah" video tonight. Will NBC let us download the whole version of the song, maybe in time for Halloween?

- This is one of the few "set in NYC" shows that actually feels like it is. I love the outside filming around 30 Rock and other NYC locations. Other set in NYC shows - like Seinfeld - often had outside shots, but it was clearly California and just didn't have the same vibe. This feels like an NYC show, even when they're inside.

- I'm going to use the phrase "Pillowy abyss of a lover's bosom" in my next love letter.

- If you're wondering who Dr. Spacemen's other clients are in his wall display, the ones I could make out are ALF, Kenny Rogers, The Unabomber, and one of the Olsen Twins.

- I like the nice touch of using the music from the very first scene of the pilot for the scene where Liz finally decides to put together her furniture and get on with her life. Nice audio throwback. Maybe this can be "Liz's Theme."