'30 Rock' just hitting its stride

"30 Rock" returned to NBC (Thursdays at 8:30 p.m.) firing on all cylinders creatively, and brings along its multiple Emmy wins. Star Tina Fey, who also created and writes for the show, has been on her own rocket ride, thanks to a hit summer movie, then Emmys for writing and acting on the series, and most recently, her immensely popular impersonation of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. It goes without saying that NBC is hoping that Fey's success outside of her regular gig will translate to bigger ratings for her sitcom.

On the basis of the third season premiere, I can't say for sure that it will. "30 Rock" proudly has a wide streak of absurdity running through its plotlines and characterizations (and has since the first episode), while the "SNL" political sketches are more relatively straightforward.

I must admit, though, that I have a weakness for off-kilter humor, especially when it's done skillfully. So the episode was another laugh-out-loud half-hour as Fey's Liz Lemon, the head writer of a fictional NBC sketch comedy series, goes to almost superhuman lengths to keep her odd co-workers from ruining her interview with an adoption agency's representative, played by Megan Mullally, while Alec Baldwin's Jack comes back to New York on a mission to reclaim his job. It's a brisk, razor-sharp piece of comedy, but I expected nothing less from a show that I believe has only begun to hit its creative stride.

Four stars (out of four).

Meanwhile, around the dial …

"Legend of the Seeker" is a syndicated fantasy-action series from executive producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert -- the team behind "Hercules" and "Xena," and it's premiering this weekend on various stations around the country. (Most viewers in the McCook area can find it airing on cable; WGN America broadcasts it Saturdays at 4 p.m.) Shooting on-location in New Zealand means there's some gorgeous scenery, and it's also clear that there is more money invested in post-production, because the special effects are much improved over Raimi and Tapert's previous TV efforts. I just wish the script was smarter; the dialogue has a tendency to fall into "been there, said that" territory. Ultimately the show -- based on a very successful series of fantasy novels by Terry Goodkind, which I admit I have not read -- stands or falls on the viewer's willingness to give their imagination over to it. Mine's still on the fence, but it hasn't turned away yet.

Two and a half stars.