When they announced 5 years ago that in 2009, Leno would be leaving the Tonight Show and replaced by Conan O’Brien, I thought, “Well, that’s interesting.” Despite my enjoyment of Conan, as it gets near to May of 2009, I keep finding myself thinking, “Man, I’m going to miss Jay.” But the contract was signed, so what do you do?
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one; the NBC execs felt the same way. In what I can only describe as an original move, NBC is going to put Leno in prime-time. Conan will still take over the Tonight Show, but Leno is moving to the 1-hour slot before local news. In my neck of the woods that 9-10pm.
Of course this also means that there won’t be dramas on NBC during those times. ER ends this season, My Own Worst Enemy and Lipstick Jungle are being cancelled, and the Law and Orders can be easily moved with no problems.
The first question I come to is, what do I watch now that would conflict with it? Well, Monday’s are pretty much out, only because I’m watching DVRed episodes of Heroes and Chuck, plus 24 when it returns, and then squeezing in BSG as we can for the end of it’s wonderful run.
Tuesdays are House and Fringe, which ends by 9. I don’t watch anything on Wednesday’s really, or Thursday except The Office and 30 Rock, both NBC shows. Friday is the other actual conflict with Numb3rs on CBS. The Unit on Sundays doesn’t count because, well, it’s Sunday.
So Jay, even though I enjoy your comedy, it sounds like at least 2 and maybe 3 nights a week, I just won’t be able to make it. I wish you the best, but unless I inherit enough money to build a DVR, you’re on your own on those days.
So what do you think? Will a Jay Leno format work for an hour before local news? And more importantly, will you watch it?
The Answer is 42 