nbc late night

Looks like NBC's late night problems are a thing of the past. Or, depending on the way you look at it, just getting started.

According to The Wrap, the network has agreed to pay Conan O'Brien $30 million to give up his 11:35PM 'Tonight Show' timeslot, making Jay Leno their go-to host on late night once again, and O'Brien a free agent.

NBC might not be winning the ratings war, but their Executive Session at the TV Critics' Association (TCA) Press Tour wins the award for most anticipated and most packed ballroom.

Looking for answers on the late night mess, critics were immediately given the proposed new late night lineup, which would be effective Feb. 12. Jay Leno would move to 11:35PM, Conan O'Brien and 'The Tonight Show' would be pushed back to 12:05AM and Jimmy Fallon would be at 1:05AM.

But, as NBC Chairman Jeff Gaspin admits, "As much as I'd like to tell you we have a done deal, we know that's not true." So when will they know? "Before the Olympics begin [Feb. 12], we'll have everything set."

Well, here's a quirky little plot twist no one expected.

Even though NBC pulled the show - twice - the network started showing the eight unaired episodes of Kidnapped last night (or early this morning) at midnight! They'll run the show at this time each week this summer. Not sure if it can be seen at that time in all areas. I know it wasn't on at that time where I live, so it's probably on at different times overnight.

This is an interesting move by NBC, considering the episodes have been available on the web site and the complete series was released on DVD. Maybe the other networks can follow NBC's lead and show short-lived/canceled shows overnight.

Funny, I was thinking about this just the other day.

What if NBC decided to change its mind and not give the Tonight Show to Conan O'Brien in 2009? They've already announced that 2009 is when Jay Leno will step down from his hosting duties and that O'Brien will step into the spot (or sit down in the seat, whatever visual you prefer). But over at Variety, Brian Lowry wonders if NBC will have second thoughts about whether or not O'Brien can take his odd, 12:30am sense of humor and translate that to a more mainstream, 11:30pm audience. Remember, people were wondering the same thing about Letterman, and he wasn't half as quirky as O'Brien is right now.

As much as I dislike Leno as host, I think that putting O'Brien in there is a bad move. I'm not sure he can be a Tonight Show host. He's better at 12:30. I have no idea who I would put in there though. I'd love to see Jon Stewart, but I don't think he's quite right for the gig either.

Readers?