If I'm being honest, My Name Is Earl is probably my least-favorite show in NBC's Thursday night comedy lineup. And yet, its return tonight fills me with an absolute feeling of joy. Why? Because Earl's reappearance after a long, writers' strike-induced hiatus means the rest of NBC's comedies are almost back, too. And the rest of NBC's comedies coming back means the other shows aren't far from returning, either — and that means that we're not far from a few weeks of TV-as-usual (before the Summer break kicks in, that is). Hooray!

Earl isn't launching into the second half of its season quietly. For one thing, tonight's return episode is an hour long. For another, Paris Hilton is appearing in it. And — probably most important to the show — it will answer the question of what happens to Earl and his potential true love, Billie Jean (Alyssa Milano), after they were struck by a car and left unconscious. Show creator Greg Garcia promised that the episode will take us into Earl's unconscious mind, which sounds like quite a terrifying place to be, indeed.

Another funny thing about the episode: Garcia asked NBC's president, Jeff Zucker, to record a recap of Earl's season to date. The resulting video is full of writers' strike in-jokes and more than a little toolishness from Zucker, but if you're into nerdy Hollywood humor, it's worth a watch. To check it out, just read more.

Photo courtesy of NBC