National Geographic's "Great Migrations" Begins Tonight!

Endlessly fascinating and unbelievably arduous, National Geographic Channel's epic nature documentary Great Migrations premieres tonight at 8pm. Narrated by Alec Baldwin, the first episode of this four-hour series is "Born to Move" and they mean it! The struggles to survive of a selection of very different animals become very real and utterly harrowing.

Until you've seen your child besieged by killer crocodiles -- ask Mrs. Wildebeest how that goes -- or faced hordes of killer ants on your way to the seashore -- Mr. Crab knows all about this one -- you don't understand what an accomplishment it is merely to survive on harsh and unsparing Mother Earth. We like to whine about our lot, but for most of us it's nothing compared to the daily battle for basic existence faced by almost all of the other creatures sharing this big blue marble with us.



The 9pm hour tonight is "Need to Breed" -- ah, Sex! -- but it's no less life-threatening a task. We see the reproductive imperative up close for several species on the Falkland Islands, Costa Rican army ants (yikes), flying foxes from Australia, and Sudanese antelopes. Their romantic struggles make singles bars (do they even exist anymore?) looks tame by comparison.



Great Migrations was over two years in the making, and continues the respected tradition of National Geographic -- in print and on television -- bringing superb natural history to the world. The complete Great Migrations programming experience includes the four hours of the documentary itself -- the other two are "Feast or Famine" and "Race to Survive" which premiere next Sunday night -- plus related specials on the making of the special. "Science of Great Migrations" airs this coming Tuesday 11/9 at 10pm, "Behind the Scenes" airs next Sunday at 10pm (following Great Migrations) and also 11/16 at 10pm. The unique "Rhythm of Life" musical special, artistically showcasing the Great Migrations orchestral score and footage airs on Saturday 11/20 at 8pm.

Kudos to National Geographic for Great Migrations, and let's hope viewers respond appropriately -- by watching and learning something about the world they live in.

So, Was There Anything You Didn't Like About Last Night's "30 Rock"?

Impossible!

It was a delight from start to finish, with idiotic ex-Wall Street investment guys running wild as Liz Lemon's new interns, wearing out Tracy Jordan and passing out roofies; Jack Donaghy meeting his double, a Mexican soap opera actor; and most of all, Liz getting all stalky over her new neighbor, played to perfection by Jon Hamm.

"He looks like a cartoon pilot."

"And I then will put my mouth on his mouth!"

Even as we love Liz, it's hilarious and horrifying to see what lengths she will go to in order to get next to her pediatrican-philanthropist-dog lover-Netflix customer-all the pay movie channels subscriber-baker-golfer possible ideal man.

As we predicted, Fey and Hamm were attractive and credible together. Hamm's around for two more episodes, so we'll have more of their sexy-silly antics. I'm convinced that Hamm can do anything acting-wise, and with such grace and charm that he's got to be the perfect example of the ideal 21st Century leading man. (At the movies he didn't get nearly enough screen time in the recent remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still, but he was brave and stalwart there, too.)

Alec Baldwin was terrific in his double-role homage which nicely referenced The Patty Duke Show, and they got the ambience of Mexican telenovelas down to a T.

Can't wait for next week, can you?

Zounds! How Can "30 Rock" Be Getting Even Funnier??

BUT IT IS!

Last week's episode guest-starring the droll Peter Dinklage was wonderful, and we loved the introduction of Salma Hayek as Jack's mother's straight-talking Puerto Rican practical nurse. Salma as Elisa turned up in last night's hilarious episode Flu Shot, and the passionate, dramatic and often absurd circumstances of the budding romance between she and Jack were adorable.

One of my major favorite moments was when Jack (Alec Baldwin) offered one of the coveted flu shots to Jack McBrayer's Kenneth the page, who bravely refused, explaining "It would be an honor to die at my post and be given the traditional burial of a Parcell man – wrapped in the Confederate flag, fried and fed to dogs." Made me laugh out loud, as did so much of this episode. Could Tina Fey be any more delightfully unique? Her little flu shot dance for the creepy company doc was unforgettable.

Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, and the entire 30 Rock cast and crew are on an insane roll, and this is a great time to recommend the show to anyone you know who hasn't caught onto it yet. There is something for everybody in the show, from broad slapstick to witty dialogue, all performed by an ensemble company that's obviously thriving under the increased attention the show is getting these days.

What a show! Spread the word! 30 Rock on NBC is the best comedy on television -- pass it on!

(I hope you've noticed the Hulu widget on our sidebar here with 30 Rock clips! Good place to go for a quick fix!)

30 Rock Returns Tonight!

Here's something guaranteed to relieve post-Mad Men depression, pre-election jitters and the fact that it is sadly not Friday yet. After what seemed like an obscenely long wait, the brilliant and hilarious 30 Rock returns, tonight on NBC at 9:30. Always a critical favorite, but never a ratings star, it will be interesting to see if any of the publicity from Tina Fey's SNL Sarah Palin impersonation translates into a wider audience for 30 Rock. Couple that with Alec Baldwin's Emmy win for playing Jack Donaghy, the world's most lovable self-absorbed TV honcho, and this show has the best chance ever to increase its numbers.

Not since The Dick Van Dyke show has a TV program about the making of a TV program been so wildly entertaining. Tune in tonight for the continuing adventures of Liz Lemmon, Jack Donaghy and (my personal favorite) Kenneth the page (Jack McBrayer) who's bunny rabbit demeanor obscures a fierce ambition to make it in the TV world!

Best of all, 30 Rock is coupled with The Office at 9pm, so we will have a solid hour of laughs again on Thursday nights!

Paul Giamatti wins as John Adams!

Very sweet and amusing speech -- "I'm a reminder to all kids that anybody...anybody...can grow up to play the President." He's our favorite and congrats to him!


Candice Bergen giving the Outstanding Lead Actor in Comedy Series right now -- to Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock. 1st Emmy win for him, 7 noms over the years. Thanking Tina Fey, calling her the "Elaine May of her generation." Now let's hope people remember who Elaine May is...

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Glenn Close, Damages! They are playing her off with music...

The Death Roll right now -- Carlin, Heston, Buckley, Les Crane, Alice Ghostley, Ivan Dixon, Cyd Charisse, Mel Ferrer, Villa Alegro, Barry Morse, Deborah Kerr, Larry Harmon, Estelle Getty, Sydney Pollack, King Brother, Bernie Mac, Pleshette, a few others who went by too fast...Dick Martin, Delbert Mann, Harvey Korman, Jim McKay, Lois Nettleton, Mel Tolkin, Richard Widmark, Stan Winston, Tim Russert...

Alec Baldwin & Gene Wilder Together Tonight on TCM!

Fans of Alec Baldwin, Gene Wilder and comedy in general will want to tune into Turner Classic Movies this evening at 8pm for the special Role Model: Gene Wilder, a new interview between 30 Rock's brilliant Baldwin and long-time comedic actor Gene Wilder. Three Wilder movies play through prime and overnight -- The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Start the Revolution Without Me -- and it's sure to be an insightful conversation between two smart and talented actors when Baldwin and Wilder sit down together. Check out the TCM website for scheduling particulars.

I first became fascinated by Gene Wilder back in 1967 when I fell in love with the movie Bonnie and Clyde as a young teenager. I saw the movie over and over again at our local theater, and Wilder had a small but memorable role as Eugene Grizzard, the awkward mortician who along with his girlfriend (played by Evans Evans, the wife of the late director John Frankenheimer) is kidnapped by the Barrow gang for a short and abruptly ended joyride. And aren't we in luck -- the segment is available on YouTube! Here it goes --




Don't miss Role Model: Gene Wilder tonight on TCM!

30 Rock's Alec Baldwin on Turner Classic Movies Tonight

Fans of 30 Rock's wonderful Alec Baldwin might want to tune into Turner Classic Movies tonight (Tuesday 11/19) starting at 8pm eastern, for his turn in the TCM Guest Programmer seat, a festival that's been going on all this month.

He'll be presenting four interesting choices: the Vincente Minnelli-directed 1952 behind-the-scenes Hollywood drama The Bad and the Beautiful, starring (my favorite) Kirk Douglas and Lana Turner; director Stanley Kramer's mile-a-minute 1963 comedy It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World; 1962's fascinating biography of convict Robert Stroud who became The Birdman of Alcatraz (I had parakeets when I was a kid and bought a copy of Stroud's bird tome, and it had a photo of Stroud's portrayer Burt Lancaster on the cover!); and lastly the Barbara Stanwyck drive-you-crazy thriller Sorry, Wrong Number, directed by Anatole Litvak, from 1948.

This should be fascinating and it's a nice line-up of films. Baldwin is clearly an astute and intelligent actor and has excellent taste in movies, as you can see from his choices. It's good to see comedy mixed in with the serious stuff, isn't it?

Check out the TCM website for more information on the movies!