(S03E05) Phillip Baker Hall is The Man.

It doesn't matter how many times I see "The Library", or even how many times in the span of an hour I see Hall's scenes as library investigator Lt. Bookman (like I did when I watched the epiosde on DVD just now... once with notes, once with writer Larry Charles' comments, and again in a mini-featurette about the episode). I laugh out loud every single time.

And how can you not? Bookman's Joe Friday-inspired speeches are a complete riot. The intensity that Bookman has for his seemingly mundane task -- investigating overdue library books -- comes through in Hall's performance, especially in the long rant directed towards Jerry in his apartment. More on that a little later.

I was just reading Anna's post on the FOX upfront, and she reports that The Loop has been renewed for another season. Is this even remotely possible, or some joke? All of the shows - better shows - that FOX could have renewed or added to the schedule (they passed on Andy Richter's comedy, which was picked up by NBC, and that had to at least be as good at The Loop) and they decide to renew The Loop. Hell, where's Stacked with Pam Anderson? They could put them back to back and have a night of so-so comedy!

I guess I'm just shocked. Even if The Loop was better than it is (and it isn't), I would still be surprised it got renewed, because it had "short-lived midseason replacment that you will soon forget" written all over it.

Wow.