Let's talk about the season finale, Hiatus. First off, I loved the guest appearances by Elaine Stritch and Sean Hayes who played Jack's mom Coleen and Kenneth's cousin respectively.

By this point, I didn't think anyone was buying Jack's fiancee Phoebe's stories and it was just a matter of time before Jack found out that she was lying. Rachel Dratch is extremely talented in her mini-cameos as different characters. And to think she was originally supposed to be playing Jenna. I think I enjoy much more in her roles now.

Kenneth's cousin holding Tracy hostage was pretty funny too. But the highlight of the episode was probably the ending, if you've seen it you'll know what I mean.

For a show that was on the bubble (aside from Kevin Reilly's support and as it turned out he was on the bubble too), it was pretty ballsy to end the episode with a pulling-the-plug joke.

I loved Colleen calling Liz "shark-eyes." There was an earlier episode in which Jack said that Liz had eyes like a shark. The call-backs in this show are awse.

I really felt for Jenna that everyone was so sure the show would flop without Tracy when not that long ago they were doing every show without Tracy. Guess the writing staff took to him pretty quickly after all.

I want a copy of Dr. Spaceman's book (what was it called -- You're Not Doing It Right?) with its technique that guarantees male orgasm. It probably goes straight for the penetraish. Hee.

Yeah, absolutely. I'm glad though 30 Rock got picked up though. I think Tina and the gang deserved another shot and a better time slot (the 8:30 pm EST slot behind Earl is a definite plus) before the bubble popped. Its really ironic how everybody was saying this show would fail and S60 would bring back NBC, but I think it turned out to be the complete opposite. I just hope people tune in and that Ben Silverman, the new head honcho continues to believe in quality over monster-hit reality shows. Its nice to have a balance.

It was sheer genius to cast Elaine Stritch as Jack's mother.

Like Liz says: "You are... a sassy old broad, aren't you?"

I love how Elaine Stritch loves Liz automatically, hopefully she comes back and still likes her. Phoebe is a white geisha. Am I the only one who found Floyd with the squirrel cute?

The only casting I've disliked is Sean Hayes. Not only does his character annoy me, but it seems like such an NBC executive's idea.

I didn't like him either! He was too loud and too over the top for me. Maybe another actor could've played the character better, idk.

I liked Sean Hayes myself. I didn't even recognize him at first!

I liked the Sean Hayes casting. It did seem like stunt casting, but he does sure look and act like he came from the same set of genes as Kenneth.

In the news stories leading up to that episode, I distinctly remember at least one story wrote about how Jack McBrayer had long ago written something for himself and Hayes, so getting to act together with him on the show was a sort of fulfillment of that wish.

I thought Hiatus, while not a bad, was pretty underwhelming compared to its lead-in episode.
There was a bit too much of "Liz and Jack somehow fit together" whether its romantic or not--I think its one of my least favorite of the first season.

Can someone explain the Petunias line? Colleen asks Phoebe about the wedding. Phoebe says that she always wanted to get married in the spring, when the Petunias are starting to bloom. Colleen asks her, twice, to repeat herself. Phoebe does and then wonders if Colleen is hard of hearing. Colleen says, "Oh no, no, no! I can hear you. I just wanted to make sure that you could hear you."

Do petunias not bloom in the spring? I didn't get that. Yes, I just bought Season 1 on DVD and love every minute of it.

My take on that was that Colleen thought it an inane comment and wanted to know if Phoebe could hear (realize) how inane it was. Colleen doesn't strike me as one who takes to idle chit-chat.

As to why Colleen might consider it inane... who ever waxes lyrical about petunias? Roses, lilacs, yes, but petunias? They're annuals, close to the ground, and don't even have a scent.

"Tell him I love him. But not in a queer way!" Colleen, will you be my mommy? This show always makes me giggle. Especially Colleen using the heart monitor as a lie detector.

And whoever said that Dr. Spaceman and Dr. Nick from the Simpsons must have gone to the same medical school, you are totally my hero for pointing that out.

I almost busted a gut over that last Colleen line. She is such a kick in the pants.

Also had a "awww" moment over Spaceman saying he thought Jack must be suffering from scurvy, because he keeps asking for lemon.

I loved the way Jack's mom referred to Liz's "Baby Bucket," which I'm sure any fiancee would love to hear from their prospective mother in law, sassy broad or no. At least she saw through Phoebe right away. But why exactly did Phoebe care if Jack loved her? If she's the gold digger she's been presented as, it's about the ring (and the will) not whether he loves her.

This reply is like, 7 months too late and pretty moot at this point, but I thought Colleen was just making fun of how Phoebe said "petunias." Like, really? Really? That's how you're going to say it? Petooonias? Hence her, ""Oh no, no, no! I can hear you. I just wanted to make sure that you could hear you."

I thought she was making fun of the entire comment, just finding it inane. But pretty much ITA with you about Colleen making fun of Phoebe, regardless.