TVSquad

Looking in from the outside, you might think that Alec Baldwin has the tiger by the tail. He's the star of a critically acclaimed television show. He's winning awards for his work. And, while he's no longer landing those leading man roles in films, over the last few years he's added several good supporting roles to his long list of credits. Apparently, those are not the makings of a happy-go-lucky life.

There is an interesting profile of Baldwin on The New Yorker's website. In a long and thorough piece, Ian Parker talks with Baldwin about his career, his family, mistakes that were made, and things that might have been. Throughout the piece, it becomes clear that he is anything but satisfied. They talk a lot about the film business, and the decisions that shaped the direction of that part of his career. For our purposes here though, the more interesting bits are the discussions of 30 Rock. They include a quote that actually shocked me. Not so much for the sentiment, but for the fact that anyone, even Alec Baldwin, would say it in print. I'll tuck it away after the jump for those of you that have an aversion to f-bombs.

The Emmy Award nominations will be announced a week from this Thursday, and The Hollywood Reporter got a bunch of TV stars (both Emmy winners and nominees) together at a roundtable* to discuss the awards, and it's pretty lively.

While Ted Danson talks about it taking nine times before he won the Emmy for Cheers in 1990, David Spade explains that he was more bummed about not winning a Golden Globe for his role on Just Shoot Me more than not winning the Emmy, because he was beaten by Gregory Peck, who won for a really short cameo. Bryan Cranston reveals how his guest stint on The X-Files many years ago led to his role on Breaking Bad, and Alec Baldwin explains that it's actually OK that he doesn't get to swear on 30 Rock like his friends who have pay cable shows can.

Neil Patrick Harris makes some comments that reality show-haters will love.

* For the sake of journalistic accuracy, I actually have no idea if the table was round or not. It could have been a long rectangle.

It seems that Alec Baldwin isn't content with starring on NBC's 30 Rock (and possibly running for office). He also wants to get into producing TV shows. Over at the Hollywood offices of The Hollywood Reporter (gah, new logo!), Baldwin pitches his new show, which he describes as both a family drama and a show where the entire cast has sex in a space capsule over and over again. He says it's a combination of Falcon Crest, Star Trek, and Girls Gone Wild.

In the video after the jump, someone off camera suggests the title Last Tango on Saturn, while Baldwin suggests Interplanetary Pie, though I don't think the networks would go for that. Maybe this is a plot they should squeeze into 30 Rock. Hey, they already had M.I.L.F. Island, right?

What's your title suggestion? How about Melrose Planet? Gossip Aliens? Sex and the Galaxy? Let us know in the comments below.

(S02E15) "I'm just gonna be a kick-ass single mom. Like Erin Brokovich, or Sarah Connor." - Liz

30 Rock fans looking for laughs, plot twists, and a cliffhanger in the finale are probably happy. You got all that, plus a guest star (more than one, actually) that I didn't even know was going to be in the episode. And if you're one of the people who was wondering "what the heck does the episode title 'Cooter' even mean?," well, he's the secret to that (and Tina Fey has been using the term for a while now).

But some 30 Rock fans - I would go out on a limb and say most of you - weren't happy to find out who the father of Liz's maybe-baby might be.

(S02E14) "This smells like hill people milk!" - Kenneth, during the drinking contest

Is it just me or was the first part of tonight's 30 Rock a little ... lacking in something? It just seemed to me to be off a little bit, from the change in the opening (no opening scene before the credits, just straight to the credits then the start of the show immediately following) to the lack of really laugh out loud lines (except for Jonathan's singing "I Will Remember You" to Jack and making him a bizarre collage), it seemed to be rather pedestrian, for a 30 Rock episode anyway. Maybe it was because there weren't too many Jack/Liz scenes.

But then halfway through is picked up and got better.

(S02E13) "That was so easy, like taking candy...from one of those guys who gives out candy at gay nightclubs."

Sorry this review is a little late this week. 30 Rock is one of those shows that I have to watch once, take notes, then watch again quickly so I can make sure I didn't miss any good lines. And this episode, like all 30 Rock episodes, had a lot of great lines.

But if there's anything that I took away from this episode, it's this: the porn video game that Tracy invented better be revisited in a later episode, or sold in the NBC online store with the mugs and t-shirts.

(S02E12) "Save it for your iVillage blog, Lemon." - Jack, to Liz

Tonight's episode of 30 Rock had more jokes and one-liners - the kind where you actually smile and laugh out loud - in just the two minute opening teaser than According To Jim and Unhitched have in an entire season (combined). It got me thinking that the show is sort of like the live version of Family Guy: lots of crazy one-liners and non-sequiturs, often punctuated by a bizarre, seconds-long flashback. And I mean that comparison in a good way. There's no other comedy that's running on all cylinders like 30 Rock is right now.

While Liz deals with having Dennis back in her life, Jack looks for a new celebrity spokesman for the Republican party and Kenneth gets involved with an old TV star.

NBC is becoming quite the experts at creating real products from the made up products and companies you see on their TV shows. Sure, every network's site has hats and shirts and mousepads that have something from a TV show on them, but the Peacock Network seems to be taking things one step further. We've seen Sheinhardt Wig t-shirts and Me Want Food t-shirts for 30 Rock, and now, after Thursday's episode, the network has quickly put up for sale MILF Island t-shirts! It's pretty much the Survivor logo, only with three hot chicks. I'm sure parents are just going to love seeing their kids wearing these.