I hope this show still exists years from now. However, if it does not, the current season aired on TBS will undoubtedly be remembered by fans as the show's least consistent. The jokes just don't seem to be hitting the mark as spot-on as AD's many admirers have become accustomed to. In particular, the "b-plots" seem to have taken a nosedive from "sometimes funny" to "often cringe-inducing".
Fortunately, "A Star is Reborn" makes us forget all of that for a few minutes and takes us back in time to pre-"Hot Water"-era AD; a time when this show seemed more interested in entertaining than offending. This has all the hallmarks of a classic episode.
The main plot features guest stars who all contribute to the funny rather than detract from it. The setting is "Golden-Age Hollywood", an era Seth MacFarlane seems quite attached to. Everything about this episode is lovingly crafted. From the background art in Junebug's house to the punchlines in the "Bones"-related b-plot, the intricacies of this episode shine like a jewel compared to the rest of this dull season. Even the soundtrack, particularly during the conclusion, paints a nostalgic sonic picture that I know would not be found in any other cartoon.
To summarize, if you are one of the many fans who jumped ship after this show moved to TBS, I would like to say first of all that I do not blame you. I love certain episodes of this series dearly, and to see it dip at all in quality was nothing short of traumatic. However, I urge you to give it a second chance, starting with this episode. I doubt you will be disappointed.