Last night's episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit was not as bad as I expected. It contained a number of features that could have made it bad — a special guest star, a disabled child, a terrorism subplot — but I managed to watch the whole thing without uttering, “I hate this show.”

And that's the main thing that makes me sad about SVU: It's best assessed these days in degrees of bad.

I take no pleasure in derogating the only network show I watch religiously. (Mariska Hargitay is just too lovely to abandon.) But the show tries my patience. A lot. Although I was initially reluctant to watch “the rape show,” I eventually got into it and have remained faithful. But the show seems to have forsaken its loyal viewers.

Here's why the show makes me sad.

5. There are too many special guest stars.

Special guest stars are an indication of jumping the shark, and SVU is definitely guilty of abusing this practice. Almost every episode features one. (Last night's was Aidan Quinn. Last week it was Melissa Joan Hart.) Sometimes they're good. Cynthia Nixon did a creditable job a few weeks ago. (Here's a clip.) But there are just too many of them. Did we really need Bob Saget, or Jerry Lewis as Munch's homeless uncle? … continue reading

On Sunday, Sept. 30, Bravo is airing a 30 Rock mini-marathon. The six episodes on the slate include "Blind Date," otherwise known as "How to Make AfterEllen.com Readers Grin for Days." That's the one in which Liz Lemon goes on a blind date with a lesbian, played by Stephanie March.

The one with the Isabella Rossellini catfight is also on the schedule ("Black Tie"). I can't really describe that one — you have to see it to believe it. But I can tell you it's awesome.

30 Rock returns Oct. 4. The season premiere features guest star Jerry Seinfeld, otherwise known as Not As Hot As Stephanie March.

Meanwhile, Queen Latifah stops by The Tonight Show tonight on NBC. I doubt Jay Leno will ask her to clarify her comments about gay marriage, but maybe he'll ask her to ride a motorcycle.