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Conan's Ratings Up Again: Is This His Hugh Grant Moment?
Based on last night's ratings, viewers can't get enough of the soon-to-be "Tonight Show Without Conan O'Brien."
O'Brien's big city tune-in increased again Wednesday, with "Tonight" notching a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49, according to metered market overnight numbers from the 25 big cities where Nielsen measures such data. That's up from Tuesday's 1.7 rating -- and nearly double the 1.0 earned by CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" (Dave was also up, from a 0.9).
The "Tonight" number is particularly impressive since NBC's primetime performance is best these days on Tuesdays. And yet O'Brien did better even though the network supplied less of a lead-in on Wednesday. (Note: These are demo numbers that will change dramatically when finals are released next week, though it's likely the gains will hold, along with the advantage over Letterman).
The ratings might also suggest a bit of momentum building around Team Conan, as online support (and media coverage thereof) picks up steam.
Indeed, if the life expectancy for "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" weren't so bleak, one could almost see this week as O'Brien's Hugh Grant moment.
Conventional wisdom in late night holds that Jay Leno didn't really turns things around on his version of "Tonight" until Hugh Grant's post-prostitute visit in 1995, during which Leno famously asked, "What the hell were you thinking?" Viewers had come to for the Grant freakshow, but liked how Leno performed-- and the tide turned in Leno's favor.
But that was back in the day when NBC gave shows time to find their audiences, when its leadership wasn't afflicted with ADD.
Of course, maybe ADD might work in Conan's favor now. Perhaps seeing the outpouring of love for him, plus the ratings and energy boost, could NBC now change its mind again-- dumping Leno, keeping Conan and putting this all behind it.
Highly unlikely. But wouldn't that make a great final chapter to Bill Carter's upcoming semi-sequel to "The Late Shift"?
Comments
Jsoh Says
Virgil ~ You are a tool. Nuff said.
YADDO Says
Conan has the better show but what is more, Conan's show will play better as time goes on--it is the show of the future and if the Conan show is not there NBC will sacrifice the future of late night talk. I say this with all respect to Jay Leno -- I really like Leno -- Im comfortable with Leno. But the right move is to make the Tonight show Conan's.
Nightly Viewer Says
The two best shows: Conan and Jimmy Fallon!! This is a 61 yr old female writing here, and I am fed up with Jay Leno's lame show. His new format was in the dumpster. Besides, I rarely remembered to tune in a 9 pm. You can't beat settling in to watch late night talk shows AFTER the local news. Conan & Andy have been truly enjoyable since they went to LA, and Jimmy Fallon is the BEST! Depending on the guest list was the deciding factor with watching Letterman. Five years ago, Jay said he would retire at this time, and Conan O'Brien would take over the Tonight Show. So, now he changes his mind. Sounds like a geezer who can't face facts. His new show has been awful.....can't stand the stupid skits. Jimmy has them all beat....talent, personality, entertainment....right on!
virgil Says
Hey Jays got a Classy act and when he s back there in the saddle ill be right the to watch him even though ill lose a lil sleep to do it.i did give Conan a chance and he was ok at first. well then he slipped back into the stupid antics he was well known for before he got the nod.I was so pleased to see jay on at 10 wow i get more sleep hummmm right.. well Conan ya had to go screw it up,better yet now youre gonna CRY in your beer... All you (Conan) had to do is act with a lil class. My dad always said son you can fix a dumb thing but you cant fix STUPID......As far as ratings go everyone was just watching to see if the redheaded freak would blow his noggin right there in front of all of us...but he didnt have to Ballz to do it.... nuff said...
blt Says
Say whatever ya wanna 'bout Jay, The Tonight Show was #1 before they gave it to Conan. I missed The Conan O'Brien show when they made the switch, he can't do anything outrageous at 11:30 like he did at 12:30. If he goes to Fox and Leno's back on The Tonight Show, no one will watch Letterman and that's the only happy ending I can find in all this mess. Welcome to show biz!
jayjay2415 Says
Conan O'Brian has a better show than Jay leno. My preference has always been Conan and I sometimes check in to see what David Letterman is up to....I have never understood the appeal of Jay Leno.
Skaught Says
Amen!
Karen Lee Says
NBC WASN'T thinking beyond their bottom line (it's cheaper to produce Jay's show than REAL ENTERTAINMENT -- Medium, Southland, etc). NBC hasn't had a great programming chief since Brian Tartakoff (sadly, deceased years ago).
GE ran NBC like its corporate structure -- NOT a broadcasting operation answering to VIEWERS. We the People (the public) OWN THE AIRWAVES -- not NBC (or Comcast).
NBC wasn't bright enough to let Jay walk WHEN HE RETIRED (as they should have). So, NBC RE-INVENTED the wheel for Jay -- screwing COUNTLESS MILLIONS OF LOYAL VIEWERS IN THE PROCESS. Now, we the VIEWERS see NBC screwing ANOTHER nice man & good talent: CONAN.
Less than three million people want to see Jay Leno -- at any time period. Conan deserves the 11:35pm time slot as he labored FOR 16-YRS as a "second fiddle" when he COULD HAVE gone elsewhere (like Letterman did, when NBC screwed HIM).
Jay got the Tonight Show by playing under-handed (listening in on confidential NBC execs conference calls, etc. THEN PRETENDING he was getting "inside info" from higher-ups). NBC caved to Jay's shenanigans before & LOST LETTERMAN.
All NBC is doing NOW is: creating an ugly BOYCOTT for itself by the MILLIONS of 10pm drama viewers, Conan's fans and all Americans WHO HATE "dirty pool" ... the kind NBC has been playing for years! TEAM COCO FOREVER.