By Rob LeDonne

Tina Fey is a comedy machine. She always pulls double duty writing and acting in the few projects that she has appeared in; quickly becoming a fan favorite in the process. Fey recently ended a run on “Saturday Night Live”, first as a mere writer, then the first female head writer, and then was granted a coveted spot on the show’s signature Weekend Update segment with Jimmy Fallon (and later on, Amy Poehler). In 2004 she not only starred in but also wrote the highly successful film centered around high school drama and teenage girls, aptly titled Mean Girls, which was praised by critics and parents alike and showed respectable box office numbers. And just this past Wednesday, Fey returned to full form, writing and acting in “30 Rock,” a new half hour sitcom on NBC, which focuses on the behind the scenes goings on of a sketch comedy show.

Sharp and witty brand of humor is plastered all over the show and it is apparent that Fey has once again struck gold. She plays a woman named Liz Lemon (Fey’s middle name is Elizabeth) who runs a sketch comedy show, not unlike “Saturday Night Live”, called “The Girlie Show”. In the pilot episode, the president of the network passes away causing a new man in town to take charge. Jack (played by Alec Baldwin) is the perfect combination of cooperate big wig and ignorant network executive- a type Fey has run into many times, for sure. Baldwin’s performance isn’t a stretch, since he practically plays himself, but Fey’s writing breathes new life into the stale character it very well could have been.

Tracy Morgan, Fey’s past costar on “SNL”, plays an out of control actor named (wait for it…)Tracy Jordam, who has a history of “straight up mental illness” and is first seen on the show running up and down the 405 in his briefs exclaiming, “I am a jedi!” Baldwin’s character is convinced that if Jordan was to be brought onto “The Girlie Show”, it would get an entirely new audience, a change much to the chagrin of Lemon.

Rounding out the cast is Jane Karkowski (of “Ally McBeal” fame) who plays the lead actress in “The Girlie Show”, Jack McBrayer (Talladega Nights, “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”) as a impressionable NBC intern and Rachael Dratch (“SNL”) who will be playing a different role each episode. It is important to note that originally Dratch was the star of “30 Rock” before NBC executives intervened and replaced her with Krakowski.

While the show would probably have worked much better with Dratch- since it was Fey’s vision to have her fellow “SNL” co-star on in the first place- it’s still just fine with Krakowski. As for NBC’s other behind the scenes at a sketch comedy show, “30 Rock” is half of what “Studio 60” is, and not just numerically or in length. As far as quality goes, “30 Rock” surpasses “Studio 60”, as well as most other shows on TV today, in leaps and bounds.

GRADE: A