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Yeah, this was a GREAT idea, Jeff Zucker. Once again, just like last season, NBC ranked fourth in primetime Monday, dead last among all the broadcast networks, with a weak 2-hour Heroes premiere that fell 46% from last year’s opener. At 10 PM, The Jay Leno Show attracted only 5.7 million viewers, but most importantly fell to 1.8 (for 3rd position, since Fox doesn’t program at 10 PM). It had recorded a low of only 2.0 last week during its debut. Nor can NBC save face by boasting about Jay’s demographics since he skews older. As I noted at the time, it was ridiculous for NBC to be crowing about Leno’s “highest-rated” numbers last week when it was only up against repeats. Facing competition this week, the show folded like a house of cards. Which sums up Zucker’s running of the broadcast network, doesn’t it? I can’t imagine why any advertiser would choose Leno over CSI: Miami at 10 PM. The experiment failed. (I’ll have more later.)
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Still a helluva lot cheaper than My Own Worst Enemy or Lipstick Jungle, but since this site never takes the pro NBC side, I am not surprised.
NBC’s lowest rated 10pm shows (My Own Worst Enemy, Lipstick Jungle, Life) did those #’s or better AND they commanded a much higher ad rate AND NBC had potentially exploitable assets in those shows.
It is so much better for NBC to at least TRY to program scripted shows across the 10 pm hour.
American Idol at least is a revenue generator for Fox (even without the traditional scripted drama after market). It does HUGE ratings and has a HUGE additional revenue stream with the voting process.
American Idol was forward-thinking in how it reinvented the model to generate profit.
Leno is BACKWARDS thinking that doesn’t bode well for anybody. Not NBC. Not Leno (Jay, why didn’t you go to ABC???). Not the writing community. Not actors. Not directors. ETC ETC ETC.
Week 3 shows a continuing Leno ratings slide. He’s down Monday to Monday and Tuesday to Tuesday.
A little quick on the fail trigger, after only six shows.
I don’t have an opinion here other than it’s gonna take a while longer to really see what’s gonna happen.
Jay had a weak start in late night end evolved into a leader. It’s just a tad early to bury this experiment.
I don’t think Leno at 10 was ever about winning the night, but about getting out of the red for a time slot NBC systematically lost. If by the end of the season Leno with a 1.5 demo rating is profitable it might have killed all its scripted competition, without ever winning a night. Irony.
Nikki, Amen!!
Not sure why but I felt totally uncomfortable watching Leno so early. I’d rather watch a mystery drama or X-Files reruns during that time slot.
Watching Leno at 10:00 feels like visiting the OBGYN at the same time.
Can somebody, anybody talk about how big a failure Zucker has been at his job?
Zucker is just another useless, clueless good-old-boys who got promoted with the hype he peddled to the other useless NBC Executives…
How stupid to take Leno out of a winning slot and move Conan. Now both shows are failing.
Yup Jeff, keep up the good work buddy. You are already career toast.
I have been an avid fan of Leno for years and absolutely cannot understand why he was taken of his late time slot. There is absolutely no reason for it. I will not watch Letterman or Conan O’Brien, so this is lost space for NBC as far as I’m concerned. How about putting Conan on at 9:00 midwestern time, and leaving Leno at 10:30? With the restrictions and changes to Leno’s format, it leaves a lot to be desired. Can’t imagine anyone doing this to Leno or NBC.
Thank God. We’re another step closer to being rid of Jay Leno from TV forever.
Now that is not very nice. I really enjoy Jay Leno. Then if you don’t like him don’t watch his show and let others enjoy it. Dah!
I like this place. Unlike print tv columnists who just rewrite press releases, this is a no-spin zone. You get the numbers, compare them, and there’s the story. I wonder if the local Fox 10p news gets better ratings than the NBC station in the big cities [NY, LA, Chi,Philly, especially Boston]
Though Conan is certainly likable and yes, funny, I have always preferred Letterman at 11:30p ET.
I always thought Letterman sucked but now I think he really sucks, so full of himself. He is such an unlikeable guy.
Now that is not very nice. I really enjoy David Letterman. Then if you don’t like him don’t watch his show and let others enjoy it. Dah!
I watched the show and its like watching The Tonight Show, except now it starts earlier, and how was the Leno show going to change TV? A variety show is not a new concept. I just don’t see what all the hype is about.
There’s already an oversaturation of talk shows. There just wasn’t demand for another one. Leno should have replaced Kimmel.
The public was fine with Jay on NBC. People who didn’t like Jay had other options. The public was fine with scripted television on NBC weeknights at 10pm. Zucker is giving the public something they don’t want and expected it to succeed. Late night talk shows are great for people who’ve just come home from a night out and need to unwind before going to bed.
My preference in late night talk shows is Craig Ferguson. I know he has writers just like any other host, but seems to deliver his monologue as if it was off the cuff. Which is actually a compliment to the writers. I also think that he does the best interviews.
Jay really needs to have more than one celebrity guest per show. The single guest format works when you only have 30 minutes to fill, but not for something an hour long. Viewers still perceive this as a talk show, so many will base their decision to watch on which guests are appearing.
The “10 at 10″ segment isn’t enough to make up for this problem. Yes, it’s a clever way to get a big name celebrity (often, one bigger than the “sit down” guest), but that’s about it. The questions are lame and the awkward time delay in between answers kills the rapport between Jay and the guest.
It feels like they’re trying to distance themselves from the familiar “Tonight Show formula”, but that’s essentially all they have going for them.
But, but, but Americans wanted comedy at 10pm!! How could this happen?!
NBC will still claim victory since it only costs them $183 to produce The Jay Leno Show.
I think we all saw this coming. I’ve been predicting it would go from 5 nights to 3 nights within the first three months and then either get cancelled or drop to two sorry nights.
Though being a TV writer I’m not offended like others that Zucker made the decision not to use scripted programming at 10:00 PM. NBC is a company and a company has a right to make money. But I never thought this would make money. So…
I love Jay Leno — but as an out of work drama writer, it’d be nice to see at least a few of those NBC nights @ 10 get a drama back.
It’s a shame for Jay, no one wants to go out a failure. The might have worked as a weekly “event” with top line guests, bands, and comedians, sort of like Ed Sullivan, but a 5 prime-time nights a week deal just too much to do with too little.
Saying the experiment failed this early is just as bad as NBC prematurely proclaiming Conan as the King of Late Night. If Leno’s numbers hold like this on Monday’s the show will then be doing significantly better in the time-slot then last years My Own Worst Enemy and that’s at a fraction of the price.
This week is also bound to have lower ratings with all the ‘razzle dazzle’ of season and series premiers. What will be interesting is to see if Leno can grab viewers from the new shows as viewers start to lose interest or if they’ll go to cable and local programming.
As usual, you’re right on. Having done Jay’s show (the other good one) a few times, I was very impressed with him, but sadly, this show seems like a last gasp to stay on the air. Sometimes going out gracefully can be more memorable (even though the network had to push him out) much like his predecessor.
Pretty sure Law & Order will have to come back in and save NBC again. Maybe they should consider actually PROMOTING that show, then the numbers would reflect it. No one even knows when it’s on anymore, but it has been fantastic the last couple of years and the cast is the best it’s had in a long time. The show has 10 million viewers with no advertising. I’m not impartial though. I live in NY and it keeps NY actors working, which I also love.
They will buy it because it will be at a late night cost per point and not prime. Buy 10p for late night rates is a good deal if the audience lines up with the product. Plus they will package Jay with other more desirable spots (what little is left on NBC). No the network can’t lose with Jay. It’s the affiliates that will determine whether Jay is a winner or a loser. If they revolt en masse then NBC loses the hour to local news!
Amusing how quickly you can pronounce judgement on it from one day of real competition. I agree last nights ratings are not encouraging think you need to give time to see if it stays at that level or sinks more. I am not an NBC apologist since I don’t think there is one show on there I watch regularly, but think need to give leno a little more time.
Leno is 5 nights a week…46 weeks a year. Judge its success or failure then Nikke.
But the point is that Zucker and GE don’t buy into the old system. They don’t care. No matter what anyone says. They only care about making a profit – not being 1st, not being anything other than just programming for margins. This is what happens when a 100% corporate entity that only sees entertainment as a washer or dryer gets involved in Hollywood.
Oh, just thinking how NBC will spin this to appear super positive sends chills. Let’s just wait and see by Thursday, this outta be impressive.
Might this mean a quick return to hour long, scripted shows with actors that employee more union talent?
Scathing Ms. Finke. And so very correct.