Office and 30 Rock Thursday

If the outgoing president keeps his farewell speech short tonight, we will be welcoming a brand new episode of The Office after a long, dry holiday season of reruns.

Last we left the Dunder Mifflin-ites, they were celebrating Christmas Moroccan style (do they even celebrate Christmas in Morocco?) as a drunken Meredith's hair went up in flames, and Michael Scott tried to woo her into rehab. Oh, and Phyllis announced that Angela and Dwight were having an affair while Andy was playing sitar in the other room.

All will be revealed to the Nard Dog in tonight's episode entitled The Duel. I wonder if the boys will plan it Schrute style - at dawn, beneath the elm tree far right from mother's grave in the family cementary at Schrute Farms, pistols in hand? Or will Dwight get out his Star Wars glow-in-the-dark sabers and have a go? Or on Second Life? Whatever the case, it seems odd that Andy would want any part of fighting for Angela after what she's done. I long for the days of The Office when regular human emotion and natural humor took over the story, not deliberate sitcom comedy. But I guess I'm in it for the long haul with this show, so...all aboard. The Office airs tonight on NBC at 9:00pm ET/8:00pm CT.

30 Rock, fresh from winning yet another Golden Globe for best Comedy Series, is brand spanking new this week (as it was last week) in tonight's episode Flu Shot. Liz refuses to get ill, and Dr. Spaceman's inoculations are being doled out to the TGS staff selectively by Jack Donaghy. Also, Elisa (Selma Hayek) is working seven day weeks, but tries to find time for Jack. 30 Rock airs tonight on NBC at 9:31pm ET/8:31pm CT.

Idris Elba Joins Cast of The Office

Looks like the cast of The Office will be welcoming a new recurring guest star. Variety has announced that British actor Idris Elba (Family Affairs, The Wire) will be joining the crew later this season, appearing in six episodes. He'll be playing a no nonsense new hire at Dunder Mifflin Corporate who will cause major problems for Michael Scott. This should make for a very interesting turn of events for the folks of Scranton's favorite paper supply company. Could this be the undoing of Michael? Stay tuned.

ET went on set at The Office to interview John Krasinski and the cast. See it here on Tanster's site on OfficeTally.com.