Watch '30 Rock' Season Premiere Online

The folks at NBC seem to have finally wised up to what a great asset they have in Tina Fey, thanks to her Saturday Night Live appearances as Sarah Palin. Unfortunately, Fey's excellent sitcom 30 Rock didn't return with the rest of NBC's Thursday-night comedy lineup (The Office, My Name Is Earl, new show Kath & Kim) last month, so it hasn't been able to take advantage of its star's newfound popularity yet. Thankfully, that's about to change: The season premiere of 30 Rock is this coming Thursday, October 30, at 9:30 p.m. EST. For those of you who, like me, can't wait for the show to finally come back, the full episode is already available for viewing on the NBC website.

My take on it? It's a brilliant return for a great show, and stronger than last year's Jerry Seinfeld-focused premiere. Guest star Megan Mullally (pictured, with Fey) doesn't overwhelm the proceedings, and each minor character gets a chance to shine. The writers don't drag out Jack's return to prominence at NBC, and there are just as many great lines along the way as always. I'm certainly glad to have the show back, and I'll probably watch this episode again when it airs.

Photo courtesy of NBC