Sometimes regression is progression, especially on 30 Rock.  While Jenna has moved on from Paul and Liz has moved on from the idea of being a foster mom, both spent last night’s episode wondering if they’d really made the right choice.  Meanwhile Jack’s attempt to broaden Kabletown’s horizons threatens to blow up in his face after his cottage industry turns out more torture device than comfy couch.

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Alec Baldwin isn’t exactly known as the most reliable source of information on the longevity of 30 Rock, the NBC comedy in which he stars, as the actor has frequently mused and Tweeted that each new season for the show would be either its, or his, last for NBC.  In fact, just this time last year, the famously cantankerous star came under fire for announcing that 30 Rock was over.  And in keeping with this annual tradition, the actor has once again announced that 30 Rock is ending, this time in the Spring of 2013.

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30 Rock continues to churn out shows this year, as the NBC comedy aired its 17^th episode in just 13 weeks. This week’s episode went back to a few occasionally touched upon subplots. We get more insight into Jack’s prickly relationship with his mother, Tracy’s non-existent relationship with his son, and Jenna’s weird relationship with her boyfriend Paul. How did this episode measure up?

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As with every new year of television, the weakest shows that cost the most money are often cancelled after airing a handful of episodes. For example:  this season, we’ve already seen The Playboy Club get shuttered, among others. TV shows are often about the ensemble, and most of their casts need time to work together to see how their chemistry develops over longer stretches of time. With comedies, that energy and chemistry is pivotal, and with so many shows put together through high-concepts or based around a name talent, everyone needs to find their footing. With that in mind, here are five shows that started rocky, and became brilliant.

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This week’s episode of “30 Rock” brings in two very special guests from the world of politics. Ok, to be fair, one of those “guests” is merely an actor impersonating a famed political figure, but the performance is so frighteningly spot-on that we’d be safe in pretending that it was the real thing. Sadly, the other guest didn’t quite deliver the goods, but that doesn’t ruin the episode by a long shot. Take a look at our review to see how we felt…

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“30 Rock” is so attractive to fans of comedy because the writing is extremely sharp, reminding viewers that what goes on behind the camera is just as important as what goes on in front of it. Luckily, this week, both elements were pretty strong, and while there were a few missteps along the way, it generally made for a good half hour of entertainment.

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Well, fans of excellent television might have a reason or two to lament 2012 (aside from it being the end of the world, according to all the billboards I’ve been seeing lately)—according to Alec Baldwin, the next season of 30 Rock will be (brace yourselves) the last!

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Tiny Fey covers a lot of ground in her new book, Bossypants (“Why is this book called Bossypants? One, because the name Two and a Half Men was already taken”), from discussing sexism and ageism in Hollywood, to her hit TV show 30 Rock, to getting advice from Oprah Winfrey.  But the most interesting sections seem to deal with The One They Call Palin.

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“30 Rock” is the best kind of sitcom: one that lets us know that the writers are just as important as the actors. As we slowly (and thankfully) say goodbye to laugh tracks on our TV shows, it’s up to the writing staff to deliver comedy that is actually funny. Last night’s episode was another one that harped on this fact, but dammit, it’s difficult to harp on it enough.

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