The once-regal lineup that included shows like “Friends” and “Frasier” is not doing so well these days. NBC is far behind CBS and ABC in ratings and is making stupid moves to “fix” this problem. In the A.V. Club’s words, cult favorite “Community” will not return until “Vague Spring Day, 2012”; NBC entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt promised that the show will finish out season three sometime this spring. A wonderfully clever show with dismal ratings (see: “Arrested Development”), “Community” was snatched off the schedule this winter, pushing fans into a panic. The good news is that “Community” is not cancelled; the bad news is that the show’s future is as indefinite as its spring return date. Will the Greendale Human Beings get their six seasons and a movie? Probably not, unless NBC gets its act together and stops throwing “Community” under the bus with a terrible timeslot and few promotions.

Taking “Community”’s spot in the lineup is “30 Rock,” returning for its sixth season. The show was delayed due to Tina Fey’s pregnancy, but she had daughter Penelope in August and “30 Rock” went back into production after a tumultuous time off the air. One of its stars, Tracy Morgan, had a highly publicized homophobic rant ruin an already damaged public image, and Alec Baldwin was kicked off an American Airlines flight for playing Words with Friends. The show is already planning on an episode based on Morgan’s rant, and hopefully a Words with Friends episode is on its way as well.

After “30 Rock” at 7 p.m. are “Parks and Recreation” (7:30 p.m.) and “The Office” (8 p.m.). Then, replacing the disastrous “Whitney” is “Up All Night,” starring Christina Applegate, Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph. Arnett and Applegate play parents to a newborn baby, and Rudolph plays Ava, an Oprah-like talk show host and Applegate’s boss. It is a much better fit for Thursday nights, as it is actually funny and does not feature a laugh track. Seeing “SNL” veterans Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph all on the same night is extra special, especially as they continue to prove Jerry Springer wrong. Women can be funny, and Thursday nights on NBC continue to prove it. Now if only NBC could replace Wednesday’s “Whitney” or the new “Are You There, Chelsea?” with “Community,” then everything would just be good again.

(MCT Campus)

Rating: 4.5/5 stars
A comedy’s third and fourth seasons are akin to litmus tests of how a show will fair in the future. For example, “Seinfeld” didn’t lose a step in seasons 3 and 4, and from there it stayed consistently funny until…well, until its last episode. On the other hand, “Scrubs” began to show its cracks by the end of its third season, and was in complete free fall by season 5. The same goes for “Weeds.”

A sitcom’s third and fourth seasons represent points of no return. If a show can make it past these critical points with its freshness intact, its future will be bright. But, if a show’s premise grows stale in season 3 or 4, from that point on, the storyline will likely meander and the jokes will slowly deflate.

Last season was “30 Rock’s” third, and thankfully, it did not fall into this trap. The show stayed fresh last season, hitched on the wagon that is Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and the comedy’s signature cocktail of wit and irony. That’s not to say that every episode last season was perfect (regrettably, not every show can be “Arrested Development”), but it was always relevant and instantly quotable.

“30 Rock” seems to realize the pressure that comes with a show’s telltale fourth season, and the premiere begins with Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) addressing the camera directly: “Hello everyone…and welcome to Season 4…which is, of course, the name of this restaurant, the number-one Asian fusion restaurant in New York…” And in that instant, “30 Rock” is making a statement: The show knows it’s getting up there in years, but it’s not ready to give up its subversive humor.

But the rest of the premiere, despite being written by creator and star Tina Fey, is a bit flat. The episode is scattered, with four plots pushing and shoving each other for air time, and it feels like every time one story line hits its stride, the episode has to cut away to fill in the gaps in other threads.

Kenneth and Tracy’s plots each have a few memorable moments (like Tracy’s attempt to connect with an everyday man: “Do you ever lose your remote control? Do your wife start getting all mad, because the roof won’t close, and the bed in the shape of your face is getting rained on?”), but they don’t end memorably. Jenna’s plot is the exact opposite: no buildup, huge payoff, ending with her singing the opening theme for a show that could be dubbed, “Monday Night Tennis.”

Liz (Fey) and Jack, strangely enough, are supporting characters in the premiere, as the other loonier characters dictate their every move. It’s as if the show is trying to introduce all of its characters to a new audience who may have been drawn in by all the Emmy buzz, and the result is overambitious.

But like every “30 Rock” episode, it’s entertaining and tongue-in-cheek all the way through, and while not all of the stories were memorable, the jokes always were.

“30 Rock” airs on Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. on NBC.

In these horrible, lonely months while Liz, Kenneth, Jack and the rest of the “The Girlie Show” crew were on vacation, I have been rewatching the first three inspired seasons of this Emmy dominating comedy. And, based on my what is probably considered an unacceptable breadth of knowledge of the show, I bring you the funniest “30 Rock” moments thus far.

15. Letters to Santa – In the third season’s Christmas episode, Liz, accompanied by Tracy, Dot Com and Grizz, hand deliver the hundreds of dollars worth of presents she bought for the Letters to Santa program. With Tracy ready to take a picture of little Tashawnte and Marcus’ smiling faces, Liz knocks on the door, only to have it opened by to two disagreeable men who take the wagon full of merchandise and slam the door in her face. And Tracy responds as only he can: “What’s the past tense of scam? Is it scrump? Liz Lemon, I think you just got scrumped.”

14. “The Rural Juror” – The unpronounceable title to Jenna’s new movie, co-starring Tony Hawk, is based on a Kevin Grisham novel. You know, Kevin Grisham, John’s ex-recycling center employee brother. Played as a running gag throughout the show, Pete and Liz try and decipher what the actual name of the film is called. “Roar Her, Gem Her”? “Oral Germwhore”? I can’t wait for the aptly titled sequel, “Urban Fervor.”

13. Liz and the Co-Op Board - Liz tries to buy a new condo, but before doing so, she must be approved by their co-op board. When they don’t call her back, she has some wine. And then a wonderful drunk-dialing montage ensues where she tells the board that she’s just fine without them, and (and this is while simultaneously drinking and running on a treadmill) that she’s bought a bunch of apartments. The highlight is her singing Alanis Morrisettes’ “You Oughta Know” into the phone using the wine bottle as a microphone.

12. Jackie Jorp-Jomp - Jenna, playing Janis Joplin in a movie, which they didn’t actually get the life-rights to (hence “Jackie Jorp-Jomp”), decides to prepare for her role through using “the method.” So, naturally, Frank and the rest of the TGS writers adjust Janice Joplin’s Wikipedia page so Jenna believes that Janis ate cats, speedwalked everywhere and had a crippling fear of toilets.

11. Drew – Jon Hamm. And Tina Fey. Together. And, as though life could not get more unfair, Hamm has not only been sculpted by the hand of God, but he is also pretty funny. He plays a doctor who doesn’t even know the Heimlich maneuver, but has thrived thanks to his good looks. Gatorade as a salmon marinade? What? Sure, it’s delicious. I was too busy staring at your face to taste it. Once Liz realizes that he lives in this protective bubble solely for beautiful people, she makes it her mission to burst it, which results in her beating him in tennis, and him throwing a fit, calling Liz a cheater and his racket a fart.

10. MILF Island – “MILF Island” is the reality hit brainchild of Jack Donaghy which pits pubescent boys against cougars. It’s brilliant because it’s only a matter of time before FOX greenlights it.

9. The Race Card – Sick of Tracy constantly showing up late to rehearsal, Liz, Pete, Kenneth and Jack adjust the time of Tracy’s clocks, watches and schedules hoping to get him to the studio on time. A frazzled Tracy walks in the studio, late for rehearsal, shouting, “I took my son to his cello recital this morning at what turned out to be midnight yesterday!” To make Liz feel bad, he plays the race card. Yes, he literally hands her a bright yellow sheet of paper that says “RACE CARD.”

8. Anything Leo Spacemen says – Leo Spacemen (his last name is pronounced spah-che-min) is Tracy and Jenna’s doctor, Liz’s fertility consultant and a pretty good dentist. From his inability to pronounce diabetes to wildly experimental treatment methods, Chris Parnell’s character never disappoints. And besides, as he often says, medicine is not a science.

7. The Generalissimo – No matter what he does, Jack just cannot impress the grandmother of his girlfriend, Elsa, played by Selma Hayek. And, it’s because he looks exactly like the villain in Elsa’s grandmother’s favorite telenovela, “Los Amantes Clandestinos.” So, what does Jack do? He buys the program and writes a storyline in which the Generalissimo falls in love with an elderly woman, thus putting him in Elsa’s grandmother’s good graces. (Alliteration!)

6. Stabbing Robot – Tracy is scheduled to appear on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” but Conan is a little hesitant about letting him back on the show. Why? Because during his first appearance, Tracy tried to murder him.

5. Kenneth’s post-party lecture – Kenneth is so disgusted at the antics of his coworkers that he sits them down and lectures them all the next morning. His admonition goes a little something like: “Y’all should be ashamed of yourselves. Mr. Lutz, you ate all of my parakeet’s medication. And thanks to you, Sonny Crocket’s been having seizures all morning. Mr. Hornberger, I would thank you to come pick up your wife at some point. Mr. Jordan, I saw you steal my sink. Harlem Globetrotter. Does that name mean nothing to you? And Ms. Lemon, I’ll have you know that before last night I had never ever seen Grizz or Dot Com cry.”

4. Werewolf Bar Mitzvah – Tracy’s novelty party song. The lyrics include, “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah. Spooky. Scary. Boys becoming men. Men becoming wolves.”

3. Jefferson Trailer – After Tracy realizes he’s white—his family can be traced back to Thomas Jefferson, and you should just see the way he dials a phone—he decides to produce a biopic of our third President’s life. One in which he plays every character. And, in order to sell his idea to GE chief executive officer, Don Geiss, he uses the TGS staff and resources and formulates one of the greatest, most anachronistic movie trailers of all time.

2. Bijou – After Liz finds out that Jenna slept with her ex-boyfriend, she accidentally on purpose breaks Jenna’s leg. And, in order to elicit Jenna’s full forgiveness, she lets her mention a certain video the entire “Girlie Show” staff—which they immediately find online. That video being a commercial where Liz played Bijou, a European, pseudo-mullet sporting, greasy pizza eating phone sex operator with lipstick on her teeth.

1. Therapy Session – When Jack tells Tracy he can’t participate in dogfighting, Tracy retorts that Jack isn’t his father, so he can’t tell him what to do. Jack gets the NBC therapist to work out Tracy’s dad issues, but what comes from a simple role-playing exercise proves why Alec Baldwin deserved his Emmy. Instead of simply sitting in a chair so Tracy has a physical entity to talk to, Jack plays Tracy’s dad, mom, white dude she left his dad for, Hispanic neighbor that lived next door and Tracy himself. And the issues are resolved.

Life Lessons From 30 Rock

Be sure to read Best 30 Rock Moments

Outstanding Drama Series

The Nominees:
‘Big Love’ | HBO
‘Breaking Bad’ | AMC
‘Damages’ | FX Networks
‘Dexter’ | Showtime
‘House’ | FOX
‘Lost’ | ABC
‘Mad Men’ | AMC

Should win: ‘Lost’

Can we give “Lost” some love, please? The show has been nominated numerous times but has not won the Outstanding Drama Series category since 2005, and the writers and creators deserve the award for the direction in which they have taken the show since then. Last season’s ingenious time-hopping brought “Lost” to a new science-fiction realm and opened up a world of possibilities in a way that seemed almost plausible. Sheer brilliance. As they enter the final season, everyone involved deserves some recognition.

Will win: ‘Mad Men’

Along with everyone else on the planet, “Mad Men” is one of my favorite shows, and the second season was absolutely phenomenal. They really hit their stride and made every episode even darker, smarter and funnier than the last. Plus, Peggy’s haircut truly revolutionized her character—and I’m only half-kidding. But they swept the ceremony just last year, and I just can’t get over the fact that there’s an episode in the new season that features blackface. Just for that, “Lost” all the way! – H.S.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Jack McBrayer as Kenneth Parcell and Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy in 30 Rock (Jessica Miglio | NBC Photo)

The Nominees:
‘Entourage’ | HBO
‘Weeds’ | Showtime
‘How I Met Your Mother’ | CBS
‘Flight of the Conchords’ | HBO
‘30 Rock’ | NBC
‘The Office’ | NBC
‘Family Guy’ | FOX

Should win: ‘30 Rock’

The sharpest half hour on television didn’t lose a step in its third season. That’s a good thing because comedies tend to hit their peak in their second seasons. “30 Rock” has the right stuff and cast to keep the good times coming.

Will win: ‘30 Rock’

This would make it a three-peat. Maybe they should rename the category, “Best Show That Isn’t ‘30 Rock.’” Give the other shows a chance, you know? – P.O.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House in the sixth season of House. (Florian Schneider | FOX)

The Nominees:
‘House’: Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
‘Dexter’: Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
‘The Mentalist’: Simon Baker as Patrick Jane
‘In Treatment’: Gabriel Byrne as Paul
‘Breaking Bad’: Bryan Cranston as Walter White
‘Mad Men’: Jon Hamm as Don Draper

Should win: Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House

Who doesn’t love a good scoundrel, especially one as endearing as House? Thus, I can’t help but want Hugh Laurie to win. Wouldn’t mind hearing one of his hilarious acceptance speeches too.

Will win: Jon Hamm as Don Draper

But I expect Jon Hamm to pick up the trophy, after being robbed last year. – C.W.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

The Nominees:
‘The Office’: Steve Carell as Michael Scott
‘Monk’: Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk
‘Flight of the Conchords’: Jemaine Clement as Jemaine
‘The Big Bang Theory’: Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper
‘30 Rock’: Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy
‘Two and a Half Men’: Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper

Should win: Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy

Alec Baldwin brought his A-game this season (then again, when doesn’t he?). Heck, he should get five Emmys for absolutely owning Generalissimo. NBC, I demand a spin-off, pronto!

Will win: Steve Carell as Michael Scott

Can you believe that Steve Carell has never won an Emmy before? C’mon, that can’t last. – P.O.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

The Nominees:
‘The Closer’: Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson
‘Brothers & Sisters’: Sally Field as Nora Walker
‘Saving Grace’: Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko
‘Damages’: Glenn Close as Patty Hewes
‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’: Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
‘Mad Men’: Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson

Should win: Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson

This first-time nominee acts with a wholesome modesty, ensuring empathy for her character.

Will win: Glenn Close as Patty Hewes

Glenn Close has it in the bag to win for a second year in a row. –C.W.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

The Nominees:
‘The Sarah Silverman Program’: Sarah Silverman as Sarah Silverman
‘Weeds’: Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin
‘The New Adventures of Old Christine’: Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine
‘United States of Tara’: Toni Collette as Tara Gregson
‘Samantha Who?’: Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly
‘30 Rock’: Tina Fey as Liz Lemon

Should Win: Toni Collette as Tara Gregson

Comedic legend Jerry Lewis once said, “I don’t like any female comedians.” No narrow-minded person today can dispute how talented and utterly hilarious the six women nominated for outstanding actress in a comedy series. While all the other nominees in this category only portray one character, Toni Collette deserves the Emmy as she balances the act of playing four. On “The United States of Tara,” Collette plays a woman with dissociative identity disorder, who is unable to control herself as she transitions between three other ‘alters.’ These other personas range from retro housewife Alice to sexually ravenous teenager T to vulgar Vietnam vet Buck. The question is whether Collette should be nominated in a comedy or drama category. (I personally believe she should be nominated in both.) Collette’s enormous talent is displayed as she seamlessly slips from character to character. She can play an unruly teenage girl who makes out with her own son’s boyfriend and then morphs into June Cleaver with one wink with more conviction than most actresses could. Her performance on this dark, twisted, black comedy is heartbreaking, inspiring and always fresh.  Though it’s unlikely she will win her first nomination as Tara, Collette should win for her exemplary job as a working mother who desperately tries to hold her family together as her own life falls apart.

Will Win: Tina Fey as Liz Lemon

Tina Fey is definitely the one to beat at this year’s awards. Aside from taking home the Emmy last year in this category, “30 Rock,” which she also created, is nominated for a record of 22 Emmy awards. With a great ensemble cast that features fellow Emmy nominees this year Alec Baldwin, Jane Krakowski, Tracy Morgan and Jack McBrayer, Fey shines out as the loveable boss Liz Lemon who holds the fictional show, “TGS” together. Fey’s wit and charm come across easily, as she writes most of the material on the show. The biggest threat to Fey’s potential win comes from Mary-Louise Parker, who has been nominated the last two years for her role as Nancy Botwin on “Weeds.” Despite Parker, Tina Fey is a sure bet. – A.J.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Nominees:
‘Entourage’: Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama
‘Two and a Half Man’: Jon Cryer as Alan Harper
‘How I Met Your Mother’: Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson
‘30 Rock’: Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan
‘30 Rock’: Jack McBrayer as Kenneth Parcell
‘The Office’: Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute

Should win: Jack McBrayer as Kennet Parcell

As a “30 Rock” fan, this category is a tough one to pick. Choosing between the bumbling Jack McBrayer and the clueless Tracy Morgan is almost impossible as both of them help to make the show what it is. In the end, though, Jack McBrayer – who is funnier, quirkier, more original, and more entertaining – should win Supporting Actor.

Will win: Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson

It’s really down to Rainn Wilson (“The Office”) and Neil Patrick Harris (“How I Met Your Mother”) in this category.  While “The Office” has more Emmy pull in general, I think that Harris will ultimately take this one. Aside from being a hilarious actor, he’s on a roll with awards shows, successfully hosting the Tonys and now hosting the Emmys. He has the upper hand. – A.T.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Nominees
‘Pushing Daisies’: Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook
‘30 Rock’: Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney
‘Weeds’: Elizabeth Perkins as Celia Hodes
‘Ugly Betty’: Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater
‘Saturday Night Live’: Amy Poehler as Various Characters
‘Saturday Night Live’: Kristen Wiig as Various Characters

Should Win: Kristen Chenoweth as Olive Snook

Kristen Chenoweth (“Pushing Daisies”) should win, hands down. As Olive Snook, Chenoweth brings an extra level quirkiness to an already quirky show. She’s crazy and neurotic, and Kristen makes it work.

Will Win: Amy Poehler

I really don’t think that there is much of a competition here. Amy Poehler shined this past season of “SNL” as the funniest regular cast member. Her Hillary Clinton impersonations and Weekend Updates were some of the highlights of the show (aside from Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, of course). None of the other nominees have anywhere near as much momentum. – A.T.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Nominees
‘Boston Legal’: William Shatner as Denny Crane
‘Lost’: Michael Emerson as Ben Linus
‘Damages’: William Hurt as Daniel Purcell
‘Boston Legal’: Christian Clemenson as Jerry Espenson
‘Breaking Bad’: Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
‘Mad Men’: John Slattery as Roger Sterling

Should/Will Win: Michael Emerson as Ben Linus

Michael Emerson should and will win. No one else in this category has a character as complex or creepy as his. Think his third nomination will be a charm! – C.W.

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Nominees:
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang
‘Damages’: Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons
‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey
‘In Treatment’: Dianne West as Gina
‘In Treatment’: Hope Davis as Mia
‘24’: Cherry Jones as President Allison Taylor

Should Win: Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang

I would love to see Sandra Oh win after being nominated for her role as Cristina in Grey’s Anatomy for the past five years.

Will Win: Dianne West as Gina

But think Dianne Wiest has it for a second year in a row. – C.W.

Outstanding Commercial

The Nominees:
‘Airport Lounge’: Amex/Platinum Card
‘Alec in Huluwood’: Hulu
‘Bottled Courage’: Nike
‘Circus’: Anheuser-Busch Budweiser
‘Heist’: Coca-Cola
‘Magazine Buyer’: Anheuser-Busch Bud Light
‘Tips’: Career Builder
‘Wedding’: Sprint Nextel

Should win: ‘Bottled Courage’ – Nike

This commercial has it all: amazing sports clips thrown at you in fast motion, inspiring messages (“Everything You Need is Already Inside”), and the background music of The Killers’ best song: “All These Things That I’ve Done.” Besides, any commercial that makes me want to get out there and play sports has truly accomplished something. I’ve got soul, indeed. – H.S.

Will Win: Alec in Huluwod – Hulu

It stars Alec Baldwin. If that weren’t enough, he pokes fun at television, corporations, the mass public and even aliens! The cynicism of the tagline (“Hulu: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy.”) will most likely win out over the simple, optimistic joy of the Nike commercial. –H.S.

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series

The Nominees:
‘Desperate Housewives’: Beau Bridges as Eli Scruggs
‘Saturday Night Live’ • Host: Justin Timberlake : Justin Timberlake as Various Characters
’30 Rock’: Steve Martin as Gavin Volure
’30 Rock’: Jon Hamm as Dr. Drew Baird
’30 Rock’: Alan Alda as Milton Greene

Should Win: Justin Timberlake on SNL

Can someone just make the man a regular cast member? He brings joy and energy to every sketch, saving the not-so-funny ones—and, let’s face it, that’s most of them—with sly jabs at himself and everyone else, including Britney Spears. Even as Lorne Michaels fires and hires, Timberlake keeps coming back and winning every time, and that says something.

Will Win: Jon Hamm on 30 Rock

Jon Hamm is the dreamiest man of this millenium, and he uses it to his advantage with good humor. He also just happens to be a fantastic actor, and his appearance on 30 Rock was solidly funny. However, when it went down the whole his-sister-is-actually-his-mom path, Hamm’s talents were a bit wasted on a silly plotline. Plus, he has won, like, a billion awards for “Mad Men.” Give JT some love, Emmys! – H.S.

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series

The Nominees:
‘The Big Bang Theory’: Christine Baranski as Beverly Hofstadter
‘Monk’: Gena Rowlands as Marge
‘My Name Is Earl’: Betty White as Crazy Witch Lady
‘Saturday Night Live’: Tina Fey as Governor Sarah Palin (Spoof)
’30 Rock’: Jennifer Aniston as Claire
’30 Rock’: Elaine Stritch as Colleen Donaghy

Should Win: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin

It’s just pure luck that Fey happens to have an uncanny resemblance to the ex-Governor, but it took Fey’s impeccable comic timing and fearlessness to make the sketch a national sensation. She actually made the opening SNL sketch funny, and that is a feat within itself.

Will Win: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin

It’s likely that more people watched Fey pretend to be Palin than footage of Palin herself, therefore linking the sketch directly to the campaign and its outcome. If that’s not influential, I don’t know what is. –H.S.

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program

The Nominees:
‘The Amazing Race’: Phil Keoghan, Host
‘American Idol’: Ryan Seacrest, Host
‘Dancing With The Stars’: Tom Bergeron, Host
‘Project Runway’: Heidi Klum, Host
‘Survivor’: Jeff Probst, Host
‘Top Chef’:Padma Lakshmi, Host, Tom Colicchio, Co-Host

Should Win: Phil Keoghan from The Amazing Race

Phil is the perfect reality show host: like a loving parent, he cares about the contestants, but also knows when to put them in their place. He’s only involved when he needs to be, and he’s from New Zealand. Done and done.

Will Win: Phil Keoghan from The Amazing Race

Phil will win, hands down. What really needs to be said for this category is how undeserving Tom Bergeron is to be nominated for ANY category. Undoubtedly the least funny person on the face of the earth, he has wrangled not one but TWO jobs hosting television programs. Seriously? I’d much rather watch Daisy Fuentes and that other dude host “America’s Funniest Home Videos” than ever see or hear from Tom Bergeron again. –H.S.

Low lights.  Calming music. And then things brighten.  Lights are pouring, literally pouring out of the sides of the frame. And everything moves in slow-motion as Pam smiles at the camera. Excuse me if this isn’t verbatim, as I don’t have a perfect memory, and I couldn’t find the promo on YouTube, but just as Pam flashes her pearly whites and Amy Poehler gives us a close-mouthed grin, the voice-over guy says (approximately), “Come to NBC Thursday Night, and smile with us.”

Shudder. Uggggh. Double Shudder.

Can this really be NBC’s ad campaign for what is supposed to be their tour de force of comedy? I sympathize with NBC, I really do. My two favorite comedies, “30 Rock” and “The Office” are on NBC, and it’s a shame they’re perpetually ratings-challenged. NBC has a ditch to climb out of, but this is not the way to do it.

I can’t think of one time “The Office” showed a scene in slow-motion, or with halo lighting, for that matter. “The Office” is a show about an awkward work space that’s fueled by the antics of a crazy, though well-intentioned, boss, and is humanized by Jim’s and Pam’s relationship. It’s not about the sentimental moments and the “ah, shucks” cheery smiles. “Parks and Recreation,” flawed as it may be, is a scathing satire of bureaucracy; you won’t find a touchy-feely moment in the show that isn’t followed by a joke about paper-pushing minutiae.

NBC isn’t going to fool any returning viewers with these ads, and if they manage to attract new viewers, they’ll instantly change the channel once they realize that “The Office” actually isn’t a primetime revival of “Leave it to Beaver.” Advertise what you have, NBC, don’t pretend your shows have been plucked out of the last-third of “Evan Almighty.”

And when the heck is “30 Rock” coming back? Sheesh.

Monday

House
7 p.m. FOX
I always find myself getting drawn toward “House,” and I can’t say why, exactly. The medical plots rarely change, and even if they did change, I probably wouldn’t notice, because the lingo is over my head anyways. Am I invested in the characters? Not heavily—I am excited to see if the not-so-charismatic Foreman will open up a little now that he’s hooked up with the mysterious Thirteen (or “Remy”), but seeing as she’s often just as stone-faced as he is, my hopes aren’t high. Maybe it all boils down to Hugh Laurie’s ingenious portrayal of House, the doctor who builds walls of insults around himself to hide his soul. Laurie may have been a comedian years ago (and it shows), but he’ll always be a jerk to me. (Percy Olsen)

Chuck
7 p.m. MSN
After being gone for a month and a half, Chuck, Sarah and Casey return to the digital airwaves to protect fictional rock star Tyler Martin (Dominic Monaghan of “The Lord of the Rings”). It’s cool seeing Monaghan back on TV in a role that seems to mirror his old one on “Lost,” but it’s even cooler seeing the ratings-challenged “Chuck” get considerable advertising on this year’s Super Bowl network, NBC. However, I’m not so sure that “Chuck” really needed the added “boost” of airing in 3-D, but what do I know? I don’t even own any 3-D glasses. (Percy Olsen)

24
8 p.m. FOX
Fox wants us to know that Jack Bauer is back—again. The man has already gone through more reinventions than Madonna, but this season’s theme, redemption, manages to strike a chord outside of the story world. There’s no getting around it: Last season drowned in its overabundance of nonsensical, and ultimately random, plot twists. Fox wants to assure us that this is a comeback season, a return to form, and since the goings-on have been so much fun, I won’t dispute them. (Percy Olsen)

Gossip Girl
7 p.m. The CW
There should be no shame in watching a television show that shows perfectly how a world of blogging, tabloids and texting surrounds a painstakingly attractive cast. “Gossip Girl” is arguably the greatest television drama of our time, with actors that live the drama offstage (Blake and Penn, hello?) and plot twists that scream nearly every issue you could imagine: From homosexuality to popularity, family deaths to mental illness, “GG” covers it all. (Rebecca Katz)

How I Met Your Mother
7:30 p.m. CBS
In the series premiere of “How I Met Your Mother,” two children of Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) asked to hear the story of how he met their mother. What follows is an endless series of stories chronicling Ted’s love life, friendships and bizarrely-entertaining adventures. With him along the way are his quirky best friends Marshall (Jason Segel), Lily (Alyson Hannigan), Robin (Cobie Smulders) and Doogie Howser himself as Barney, a womanizing, blogging, catch-phrase hawking, high-fiving conflagration of awesomeness. After 3.5 seasons, we know about Robin’s Canadian pop star history, Marshall’s habit of singing everything he does, Lily’s loud chewing habits and Ted’s tendency to overthink—but we still don’t know who the mother is. (Indu Chandrasekhar)

Tuesday

American Idol
7 p.m. FOX
For the past eight years, January has brought us the new year, the Australian Open and “American Idol.” This February, “American Idol” continues its auditions across America in search of the next “big thing,” who will be as big as, to put it in perspective, Fantasia. So winning the thing does not entail a great musical career, fine, but that’s all the more reason to watch the auditions, because these naïve people truly believe that they will become the next big music star, regardless of their actual talent level. More amusing than the contestants are the judges, who last week nearly called the SWAT team over a colloquial farewell, but I bet this week they’ll get a little more realistic, donning earplugs instead. (Percy Olsen)

Scrubs
8:30 p.m. ABC
During the off-season, “Scrubs” changed from NBC to ABC and from luminous light bulbs to dimmer lighting. The loyal audience accepted the changes, mostly because those switches ensured that “Scrubs” would stay on the air for at least one more year. Bill Lawrence, the show’s creator, vowed to bring back the mature tone of the earlier seasons, and the loyal audience grew merry because it’s what they’d always wanted. In practice, though, the tone has not consistently lived up to the hype, but the stories are loads more intriguing than they were in past seasons. (Percy Olsen)

Wednesday

Lost
8 p.m. ABC
“Lost” is both enthralling and impossible to get into at this point, because now, in season five, every story line from every flashback and flash-forward is significant and in the mix. We’re told that the Island is in danger. Maybe that’s because it’s skipping through time and space like a broken record, and similar to a knotty “Memento,” the Oceanic Six are three years in the future, trying to get back to the skipping Island. Don’t watch this show without your Lostpedia at your side. (Percy Olsen)

Law & Order
9 p.m. NBC
The true, the proud, the original “Law & Order” is like “The Simpsons” in that it will never die. It’s seen plenty of young punks try to thrive in its domain, but none of them came close to weathering the harsh TV landscape. It’s miraculous that “L&O” has lasted as long as it has, and the craziest thing of all is that, unlike “The Simpsons,” it hasn’t declined much, at all. (Percy Olsen)

Thursday

The Big Bang Theory
7 p.m. CBS
I know this is a repeat, but I also know that you missed it on Monday because of “House” or “Chuck,” and this show is worth the watch. The main characters live on the geeked-out side of things, but they aren’t mocked as much as they thrive in the atmosphere. They play “Super Mario 64,” they settle their arguments by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock, and if someone is complaining about someone else wearing the same outfit, it’s because they’re both wearing The Flash costumes. (Percy Olsen)

The Office
8 p.m. NBC
Pam and Jim are finally together, Dwight and Angela aren’t, and Michael isn’t interested in anybody. The dynamics in this show are nothing like how they were just a couple of seasons ago, but thankfully that’s not because the characters have changed; they’ve just moved around. Michael still yearns to be the good guy in a “doggy-dog” business world, Pam has learned to speak her mind, but she reins it in, you can still count on Jim for a good prank and Dwight never stops lathering on the unintentionally hilarious bravado. (Percy Olsen)

30 Rock
8:30 p.m. NBC
Now in its third season, “30 Rock” is only getting better. Never before has a show been able to hold on to the “zany” moniker while staying so deliciously subtle, but “30 Rock” is here to show us how it’s done. It’s brilliant; it’s “Newsradio” reincarnated, turned inside out and then the rug is pulled out and it’s told that it’s none of these things, after all. When you get angry at the TV because it’s showing a rerun, but you still go on and laugh at every joke as if the episode were brand new, then you know you love the show. And I heart “30 Rock.” (Percy Olsen)

Friday

Friday Night Lights
8:30 p.m NBC
“Friday Night Lights” should not be confused with “Friday Night Smackdown!” You see, “Friday Night Lights” has characters that are in fierce competition with each other…er—and there are love interests (gulp). And a there’s a guy named “Coach?” Wow, they’re harder to separate than I thought they would be…but even if you find yourself lost in all of my Wrestling-nerdology, make sure to give “Friday Night Lights” a shot. It perfectly captures the pulse-pounding adrenaline of the big game, and Dillon High always feels like a breathing, authentic portrayal. Most importantly, the show has a great deal of heart, and no, I don’t mean Bret. (Percy Olsen)

Everybody Hates Chris
8 p.m. The CW
“Everybody Hates Chris” is the last vestige of UPN’s sitcoms to survive the trip to the CW, and it is certainly worthy of carrying the baton. It’s a little like “Malcolm in the Middle,” except it’s less frenetic, and it’s a little like “The Wonder Years,” except it’s more wicked. I don’t know what it says about Chris Rock that he’s created a show where everybody hates his childhood self, but the result is undeniably funny. (Percy Olsen)

Jack Donaghy: Lemmon, I’m impressed! You’re beginning to think like a businessman

Liz Lemmon: A Business “Woman”

Jack Donaghy: I don’t think that’s a word

Dearest Jack (or as Don Geiss likes to say Jacky-Boy),

            I am writing this letter not to testify how you’ve helped make “30 Rock” one of the best shows on TV; that goes without saying. No, this letter is written to admire, and bat my eyelashes lovingly towards, the unadulterated determination that has made you an American icon. Your name will be as well known as Ronald McDonald’s, Abraham Lincoln’s, George Washington’s and Lebron James’s names combined. Your unshakeable resolve to rise to the top of GE has defined what it means to be a true American.

Before we admire your willpower, lets gawk at your sensitive side. Your affairs with Condoleezza Rice, Maureen Dowd, Katie Couric and (possibly) Martha Stewart are momentous. These women are more powerful than most third world countries. A normal man would quiver at the prospect of having an affair with one of them, but you, Jack Donaghy, are so certain of your romantic skills that you view these queens of the universe like a frat-boy views a prefrosh.

Jack, your romantic abilities are so beyond the scope of mere mortals that you can callously dismiss the possibility of a relationship with Liz Lemmon. Liz is a producer of a hit TV series, and is incredibly shapely. Anyone that can dismiss a hot television producer has more machismo than an Ernest Hemingway novel.

“Work gets me off.” You have said this many times, and I think it sums up some of your best qualities. It demonstrates your dedication and love toward your career. Your unfettered desire to rise to the top is what makes you stand out from the crowd. Even when you were demoted to working in the mailroom, you were not discouraged. In one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories this side of the Beverly Hillbillies, you were able to ascend from working in the mailroom to becoming the CEO of NBC in one day. If that work doesn’t get you off, I don’t know what does.

Your love for GE knows no bounds, and that, my friend, defines both masculinity and patriotism in my book. When GE is about to be tanked by Kathy Geiss, a mentally challenged proxy-CEO, you are willing to try to seduce her to save the company. Even though you never get naughty with her, you were willing, if it would save GE. Only a truly dedicated (or deranged) man would be willing to seduce a woman who wears Dora-the-Explorer underwear and makes her men wear strawberry lip-gloss.

Now I must end my heartfelt letter to you, Jack Donaghy, a man who, “goes to Sbarro’s when he’s angry, the New York Stock Exchange when he’s horny and Christies when he’s depressed.” A man who, in many ways, defines what we all want to be: successful, brash and so cocksure that he makes Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap seem modest. Let us all raise our glasses to a true American man. Cheers to you Jack Donaghy!

One of your dearest fans,

Andrew Senter