The peace solution to the so called Talk Show War, or as it should be referred to, because this has happened before, Talk Show War II: The Laugh of Letterman is simple (and is what should have happened last year): Conan should stay put at 11:30, and Leno should produce and star in periodic prime time "Specials."
I'm going to assume everyone knows about what happened in 1992-3 between NBC, Jay Leno and David Letterman, resulting in Dave leaving NBC for CBS; that was the first Talk Show War. It was much more significant because way fewer people had cable, there were fewer cable stations anyway, FOX was a kindergartner and CW was yet to be. The 11:30 time slot was far more important to the network's overall profitability (and networks are far less profitable now than they were in 1992).
Of course the irony is that NBC made the deal that Jay would step down and Conan would take over to avoid what happened in the ’90s from happening again, but something changed Jay's willingness to retire in 2009.
In any case, here we are with The Jay Leno Show doing poorly, Conan saying he'll quit if he loses his time slot and Letterman laughing ass off because, as Whoopi pointed out on the View today, NBC treated him like, "dirt under the shoe."
The solution to me is obvious. When I was a little kid some shows weren't on every week. Sometimes these shows were called "movies" and sometimes they were called "specials"; they were neither. For instance, there was Columbo. Later Lt. Columbo became a character in TV movies, but originally he was on a show—but it wasn't on every week. Columbo actually alternated with other shows, but several 90 minute episodes were on every season. Another show that wasn't on every week is one I can't even remember a single moment of except the host singing his farewell song every time, and I'm not sure I even really ever watched it much, but it could be a model to bring peace and an end to the second Talk Show War.
NBC should look into its Vault and remember its No. 1 Star of Yesteryear—Bob Hope—and how he had periodic "Specials." There weren't really "specials" at all; it was a show that just wasn't on every week. According to Wikipedia, the first Bob Hope Special aired in 1950 and the last one was in 1996 (although I think by that time they weren't on often and he'd become something of a parody of himself). In his day, Bob Hope was a much bigger star on NBC than Johnny Carson was, and Johnny was hosting the Tonight Show and on every night. (I know Jay isn't as big a star as Hope was when he started, but the idea is to copy the model.)
Jay should do the same thing Hope did, but, obviously updated and more like his version of the Tonight Show (although maybe he shouldn't do it for 46 years). He should have "specials" or a show that's in production most of the time and maybe even no permanent set (perhaps it would be done in a theater with a huge audience).
Every month or so, Jay would have a heavily promoted 90 minute "Special" following one of the network's top sitcoms, featuring the best of the best of entertainment. A monolog not hastily written solely based on the day's news, some sketches or things like Headlines and Jay Walking, and then the top stars of today and the superstars that are enduring as guests. A show, yes, but also something, well, special. People would watch, because it would it would almost always be very good.
NBC should make Jay the Bob Hope of today. Jay's already a beloved figure, but he could become an even bigger asset to the network. And best of all, neither Conan nor Jay would become a competitor.
And that would end the Talk Show War of 2010 (which in TV history will be the lesser of two wars, no matter what happens).
(And as to Conan and his ratings, Jay's ratings weren't that good in the beginning either and look how he turned out.)
I'm going to assume everyone knows about what happened in 1992-3 between NBC, Jay Leno and David Letterman, resulting in Dave leaving NBC for CBS; that was the first Talk Show War. It was much more significant because way fewer people had cable, there were fewer cable stations anyway, FOX was a kindergartner and CW was yet to be. The 11:30 time slot was far more important to the network's overall profitability (and networks are far less profitable now than they were in 1992).
Of course the irony is that NBC made the deal that Jay would step down and Conan would take over to avoid what happened in the ’90s from happening again, but something changed Jay's willingness to retire in 2009.
In any case, here we are with The Jay Leno Show doing poorly, Conan saying he'll quit if he loses his time slot and Letterman laughing ass off because, as Whoopi pointed out on the View today, NBC treated him like, "dirt under the shoe."
The solution to me is obvious. When I was a little kid some shows weren't on every week. Sometimes these shows were called "movies" and sometimes they were called "specials"; they were neither. For instance, there was Columbo. Later Lt. Columbo became a character in TV movies, but originally he was on a show—but it wasn't on every week. Columbo actually alternated with other shows, but several 90 minute episodes were on every season. Another show that wasn't on every week is one I can't even remember a single moment of except the host singing his farewell song every time, and I'm not sure I even really ever watched it much, but it could be a model to bring peace and an end to the second Talk Show War.
NBC should look into its Vault and remember its No. 1 Star of Yesteryear—Bob Hope—and how he had periodic "Specials." There weren't really "specials" at all; it was a show that just wasn't on every week. According to Wikipedia, the first Bob Hope Special aired in 1950 and the last one was in 1996 (although I think by that time they weren't on often and he'd become something of a parody of himself). In his day, Bob Hope was a much bigger star on NBC than Johnny Carson was, and Johnny was hosting the Tonight Show and on every night. (I know Jay isn't as big a star as Hope was when he started, but the idea is to copy the model.)
Jay should do the same thing Hope did, but, obviously updated and more like his version of the Tonight Show (although maybe he shouldn't do it for 46 years). He should have "specials" or a show that's in production most of the time and maybe even no permanent set (perhaps it would be done in a theater with a huge audience).
Every month or so, Jay would have a heavily promoted 90 minute "Special" following one of the network's top sitcoms, featuring the best of the best of entertainment. A monolog not hastily written solely based on the day's news, some sketches or things like Headlines and Jay Walking, and then the top stars of today and the superstars that are enduring as guests. A show, yes, but also something, well, special. People would watch, because it would it would almost always be very good.
NBC should make Jay the Bob Hope of today. Jay's already a beloved figure, but he could become an even bigger asset to the network. And best of all, neither Conan nor Jay would become a competitor.
And that would end the Talk Show War of 2010 (which in TV history will be the lesser of two wars, no matter what happens).
(And as to Conan and his ratings, Jay's ratings weren't that good in the beginning either and look how he turned out.)
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