Tuned In
Tuned In+TV Ratings | 744 days ago

NBC's Conanundrum: Is Jay the Smart Choice?

By James Poniewozik

Let me take off my TV-critic hat for a minute and put on my TV-business hat. Everyone’s assumption now—a well-founded one, it seems—is that, forced to choose between Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, NBC will pick Jay. Leaving aside fairness, funniness or cosmic justice, is that the right business pick? Short-term, I have to say: [...]

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 744 days ago

No Deal or No Deal: Did NBC Ever Want Conan to Stay?

By James Poniewozik

Let it not be said that Conan O’Brien lacks company loyalty. Even as O’Brien was busy getting publicly screwed over by his network, he was on the Tonight Show, making fun of his own situation while giving a plug to Howie Mandel and Deal or No Deal:

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 745 days ago

Law and Order: Leno Victims Unit

By James Poniewozik

The guy who’s having the best time with the Jaypocalypse and NBC’s Conanundrum? David Letterman. For now, anyway. Here’s a preview of his hit tonight (since I’m sure you’ll be watching to see what Conan has to say). The title gives away the punch line, but it’s funny anyway:

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 745 days ago

Ouch! Conan Slaps Down NBC, Will Quit if Tonight Moves to 12:05

By James Poniewozik

NBC wanted a decision quick, and it got one: Conan O’Brien says he will quit [Update: or to be precise, all but says it] the Tonight Show if NBC moves it to 12:05 to shoehorn in Jay Leno at 11:35. This is not Conan “quitting” the Tonight Show exactly, but it is demanding NBC choose [...]

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 745 days ago

Press Tour Roundup: Fox "Commiserating" With Conan

By James Poniewozik

More news tidbits from the Winter TV Press Tour in Pasadena: * Fox says it hasn’t had official talks with Conan O’Brien, other than to “commiserate” with his people. There, there, let it all out. Why don’t you dry your tears with this contract? * Ron Moore says you don’t need to have seen Battlestar [...]

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 745 days ago

Late-Night on Late-Night

By James Poniewozik

I kind of don’t want to do a “Ooooh, look at the late-night hosts  ripping on NBC!” post. I mean, late-night comedians making jokes about their own (or other) networks stopped being daring, what, 25 years ago? Was it even daring then? That said: Ooooh, look at Conan ripping on NBC!

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 745 days ago

HIMYM Watch: A Suitable Boy

By James Poniewozik

Spoilers for last night’s How I Met Your Mother after the jump:

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 746 days ago

Kill Your Idols: Cowell to Quit AI, Create Rival—for Fox

By James Poniewozik

Fox network made official today what has been buzzed about in TV circles for weeks: that Simon Cowell will leave American Idol after this season to import his singing-talent show X-Factor from Great Britain. Reports from the TCA TV critics’ press tour in Pasadena say Cowell literally just signed his deal with Fox, dramatically, on [...]

Tuned In
Tuned In+746 days ago

Good News for People Who Like Bad News

By James Poniewozik

Breaking Bad news, that is: The searing AMC drama returns for its third season March 21. With that, Justified and HBO’s The Pacific, we are looking at March coming in like a lion. Excerpts from the release after the jump:

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 746 days ago

Palin to Fox News; MSNBC Pundits to Senate?

By James Poniewozik

About a week ago, I wrote a column on the media as today’s preferred fast-track to a political career. Now I might need to update it already. The New York Times is reporting that former  governor / current author-Facebook-updater Sarah Palin is signing with Fox News as a contributor and host of “an occasional series.” [...]

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 746 days ago

Press Tour: More Glee, More Schadenfreude

By James Poniewozik

This week, the Television Critics Association is holding the winter version of its press tour in Pasadena, where TV networks are giving presentations on their midseason lineups. I’m not there, but here are some highlights from people who are: * Fox has confirmed a second season of Glee for next year, and they’re holding a [...]

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 746 days ago

Chuck Up!

By James Poniewozik

There actually is some good news for NBC today, even if, naturally, it comes from a show that the network was once on the verge of ensuring would never see another season. The double-shot season premiere of Chuck got the spy comedy-drama its best ratings since its 3D stunt episode last year. Celebrate, but don’t relax [...]

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 746 days ago

Big Love Watch: Know When To Hold 'Em

By James Poniewozik

Before you read the following post, mix yourself up some fry sauce and watch last night’s season premiere of Big Love:

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 747 days ago

It's Official: NBC Cancels—and/or Promotes—Jay Leno

By James Poniewozik

Presenting its midseason programming to TV reporters and critics in Pasadena this weekend, NBC made official its not-exactly a secret: after Feb. 11, The Jay Leno Show will be no more, at least at 10 p.m. NBC executives said that while Leno’s show was making money for the network (by lowering its costs even though [...]

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 749 days ago

Jaypocalypse Now: Would Conan Go to Fox?

By James Poniewozik

One last Jaypocalypse post (I think) for the day: James Hibberd is quoting “a well-placed Fox source” as saying that Fox would be interested in (a presumably-ticked-off-at-NBC) Conan O’Brien, should he become available. Reportedly Conan has not yet agreed—pointedly—to a deal to push his Tonight show back to midnight to make room for Jay Leno.

Tuned In
Tuned In+749 days ago

TV Weekend 2: Big Plans, Big Love

By James Poniewozik

For those of you who didn’t see the DVD last fall, Syfy airs the Battlestar Galactica prequel movie The Plan on Sunday night. Here’s my review (“curious but inessential”) from October; I’d recommend it mainly to BSG completists who can’t wait for Caprica. Also Sunday, a Tuned In personal favorite, Big Love, returns to HBO. I’ve [...]

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 749 days ago

Lost Defeats Obama!

By James Poniewozik

Word comes via Twitter, from both ABC News’ Jake Tapper and Lost producer Damon Lindelof, that the Lost premiere date of Feb. 2 is no longer under consideration as the date of the State of the Union address. President Obama, it appears, knows better than to risk the wrath of Smokey. Adds Lindelof: “Okay. So Obama [...]

Tuned In
Tuned In+Uncategorized | 749 days ago

TV Weekend: Chuck Vs. the Jaypocalypse

By James Poniewozik

No, not everything happening in TV right now is about Jay Leno. But it could well be that Chuck, which returns Sunday before moving to its regular timeslot Monday, could find that Conan’s loss is a certain Mr. Bartowski’s gain. The show, which teetered on the brink of cancellation last spring, got a surprise order [...]