I did get through "Earl," "The Office" and "30 Rock." I may post some longer thoughts late. For now, my amusement was at best piecemeal — the Joy stuff in "Earl," the trash-talking in "The Office." …

I will note that reaction to "The Office" and "30 Rock" seems to vary widely, based on my requisite Friday-morning office conversations about the shows, and some of the discussion over at Sepinwall's blog. And I have wondered if some of that is a function of the writers strike, that we've gotten into episodes that were written a little too hastily, or didn't get much on-set tweaking, either of which could have polished some things that didn't quite work. (I think, for instance, that as many good lines as Alec Baldwin had on "30 Rock," and as fine as Edie Falco is, it could have been much better. And that I'm in the minority on "The Office's" "that's what she said" part of the deposition, where it felt as if, I don't know, slightly different line readings would have made it funnier.)

I also watched "Grey's Anatomy," where I disliked Bailey going all schoolgirl, even if it led to a big Bailey moment. And in that moment, I would have much preferred if she had been angry instead of getting a little weepy. Be strong, woman! Be strong! (Also, I dread the upcoming "Grey's" "event" because that probably means that the show will be big as all outdoors and swing for the fences … and whiff.)

Probably more about that later, too, as well as "Private Practice," where it doesn't trust its ability to do good drama enough to avoid piling on. (Three baby-delivery stories, one of them good.)

And I still need to catch the last two "Heroes," because I know I'll have something to say about that.

But I've been feeling a bit blah about TV in recent days, and I keep thinking that it's anticipatory regret — that I know that soon enough we will have seen all the episodes of things made before the strike, and we'll have to get by some way until more new stuff comes along.

In another year, this wouldn't feel so bad, because late November brings reruns and Christmas specials anyway. But we all know that, as of right now, nothing's waiting in January, so I want the stuff we're seeing now to be especially good.

Also, here's a link to my review of "I'm Not There," Todd Haynes's contemplation of Bob Dylan, which ran in the Beacon Journal today.