FOX has faith in Spike Feresten

So Leno decided to stay at NBC and grab the 10pm slot every night. FOX didn't get him but they seem to be happy with Spike Feresten, so much that they're giving him an earlier time slot.

Talk Show with Spike Feresten has been a staple of FOX's Saturday night schedule for the past couple of years. It doesn't get the numbers of a Leno or a Letterman or even a Kimmel but the ex-Seinfeld/Late Show with David Letterman writer has his fans. And a lot of those fans are at FOX. The network is moving the show from midnight to 11pm for six weeks on January 17 to see how he does (Mad TV has been canceled). Could this be the first step in giving Feresten his own talk show Monday through Friday?

I think a lot of people will think that this is sort of a "do the best with what they have" move by FOX. That they didn't get Leno and didn't have anyone else waiting in the wings so they're going to give Feresten a shot. I don't think this is the case. Feresten has been getting better and better in his show, and being the cult thing on Saturday night has given him a chance to do his own thing.