(S02E10) "I've become one of them. I've been Sodomized!" - Kenneth, explaining how the 21st century Sodom (NYC) has changed him.

OK, so I was wrong. In my review of the previous episode, I mentioned that it was the last one finished before the strike. But this episode is the last episode finished before the strike. No, seriously, it is! I was bummed out after I realized the previous episode was the last (I thought). Now I have to be bummed out all over again.

But it was a good episode to go into the hiatus with, if that makes things better.

I'm not sure what the name of this episode will eventually turn out to be. Right now it's just listed as "Episode 210," but I'm sure that's just a filler title until one is finalized (the same thing happened with the previous episode). Maybe it could be called "Gladys Night" (she was the guest on TGS with Tracy Jordan and one of her songs featured prominently at the end of the episode) or "Wine and Coffee" (Liz overdid the former, Kenneth the latter) or maybe even "Sodomized!" (explained in the opening quote) with an exclamation point.

I'm not sure they planned it this way, but this episode could stand as a sort-of season finale if the strike isn't settled. Not only did we get some closure to the Jack/CC relationship (they both realize it won't work because they put careers first), but we see Liz wanting to grow up a little bit by buying an apartment (the scene with Liz scantily dressed, saying bizarre things as she tried to convince the co-op board that she was right for the building really made me cringe). I like how the ending had Jack and Liz talking again about something they talked about earlier this season, how it was going to be their year and that they can try to have it all. Jack realizes that a person can't have it all, so he breaks up with CC. And he says that Liz can't have it all either. She made a choice to break up with Floyd for her career (another nice throwback to an earlier ep). I wonder if this will get Liz thinking about Floyd again.

Now let's talk about that surreal ending. When I first saw the promo pics for this episode, with Kenneth in overalls and a straw hat, surrounded by Jenna and Grizz and Dotcom, dancing, I had no idea what the hell it all meant. I assumed that Kenneth got on TGS somehow, and I was truly surprised when Tracy just broke into "Midnight Train To Georgia," joined musical-theater style by Jenna, Grizz, Dotcom, singing about Kenneth's decision to go back to Georgia after he was turned bad by the city of New York (he had a Jewish donut!). Liz and Jack joined in a bit too, singing about their subplots, and Kenneth took it home by coming back into the studio and singing about staying in New York after all. He missed his midnight train to Georgia because he misread the schedule.

The only downside to this ep was that the writing staff wasn't involved in the show. It's always good to have them on, even if it is for a joke or two (it would have been funny to have them join in the singing at the end). And I really wish they'd have more positive things happen to Liz, instead of keeping her alone and financially screwed up. But we've learned from this show that when one episode has certain characters featured or certain plots, the next episode will surprise us by having different characters featured and new plots given airtime.

Of course, the "next episode" is very much up in the air.