Last night's episode of 30 Rock was one of true brilliance. So much so, that it is causing me to spout clichés....

Oh, 30 Rock, how do I love thee? Let me count (some of) the ways:

1) Alec Baldwin. The man is pure genius. His moments in last night's episode were short, but sweet.

2) Jenna. Yes, the whole blonde bimbo stereotype can get old, but last night was proof that she can hold her own with the cast. First: slipping down a couch in a photo shoot for Maxim. Then, the icing on the cake: a forced (fictional) appearance on Hardball - with Chris Matthews actually guest-starring - after she is mistakenly quoted as saying she hates the troops. "That's why I'm voting for Osama in 2008," she tells Matthews, who replies with a blank stare.

3) Frequent guest appearances by SNL's Rachel Dratch. She's played a crazy cat lady, Elizabeth Taylor, and last night, Barbara Walters, who she does rather perfectly.

4)Kenneth, the NBC page. After the Kenneth and Jack pairing during the poker episode, I didn't think a better comedic duo could grace the show, but last night's episode, with Kenneth joining Tracy's entourage, proved me wrong.

5) Impromptu musical scenes. It just doesn't get any better than characters randomly breaking out into song and dance. Especially when it results in a parody of The Bodyguard, replete with Grizz and Dot-Com carrying Tracy out of an angry crowd while Tracy and Kenneth sing "I Will Always Love You," in perfect harmony.

6) The show's heightened self-reference. No show makes fun of itself with more grace or intellect. The product-placement episode was great, but last night's episode was even better. Tina Fey, writer of 30 Rock, was recently attacked for her liberal political views, so she writes an episode of 30 Rock where Jenna, the star of an SNL-like TV show is attacked for her political views and uses her TV show, the fictional TGS, to apologize. While Jenna is taping the show, Tina Fey announces her real-life political views and in a radiant moment, turns and winks at the camera (and the audience). Genius.