The Jay Leno Problem

NBC is screwed. Last year, Jeff Zucker, President & CEO of NBC Universal, announced the (inane) idea of abandoning scripted programming during the 10/9 p.m. in favor of a Jay Leno "variety" show. The move was solely economics. When a network doesn't have to pay a host of actors, writers, producers, cameramen, etc., it saves a ton of cash, and through those savings it makes more money, right? Not so fast.

Television is all about the advertising. End of story. If people don't watch a show, advertisers don't pay, and the show gets canceled. Simple as that. Given, even with paltry ratings, The Jay Leno Show might turn a huge profit for NBC. However, even if the show does make money, which seems questionable, it will be a short-sighted profit at best. Television has always been, and will always be, about quality programming.

In the digital age, networks cannot expect Joe Q. Public to tune into the same program every night -- there are too many other options. That's why the Jay Leno experiment was dead before it started. The show debuted to more than 18 million viewers, but in only two weeks ratings have declined by more than 70 percent. Not good.

Only a week into the "official" television season, NBC has a huge problem on its hands. It has devoted so much programming time to The Jay Leno Show that it is nearly impossible to salvage the 2009/10 schedule. None of the scripted shows can bomb because the network doesn't have enough in development to replace a failed drama or comedy.

Lucky for NBC, it has Olympics in February (always a ratings stalwart) to help bolster the season. However, the network desperately needs an intervention before the sports extravaganza arrives. There isn't enough time to completely revamp the fall schedule, but here is what I'd do come December (unfortunately, there aren't enough developed shows to completely take The Jay Leno Show off the air or even reduce it to one airing a week):

Jason's NBC (winter) Fix:

Monday:
7 p.m.: Heroes
8 p.m.: Day One
9 p.m.: Southland

What's different: Heroes stays on the air (unfortunately) and Southland moves to Mondays at 9 p.m.

Tuesday:
7 p.m.: Chuck
8:00 p.m.: The Biggest Loser
9 p.m.: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU)

What's different: Chuck relocates from Mondays, The Biggest Loser shrinks from two hours to (a much more manageable) one, and SVU moves back to its successful Tuesday night stomping grounds.

Wednesday:
7 p.m.: Mercy
8 p.m.: 100 Questions
8:30 p.m.: The Best of NBC
9 p.m.: The Jay Leno Show

What's different: 100 Questions premieres on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. NBC launches The Best of NBC, featuring a classic episode of a different "Must See TV" comedy each week (The Cosby Show, Seinfeld, Friends, Mad About You, etc.)

Thursday:
7:00 p.m.: Community
7:30 p.m.: Parks & Recreation
8:00 p.m: The Office
8:30 p.m.: 30 Rock
9 p.m.: Parenthood

What's different: Parenthood is fast tracked and debuts in the same time slot as other great NBC dramas like Hill Street Blues and ER. (Ideally, the producers would convince Helen Hunt to join the drama in time for a December/January launch).

Friday:
7 p.m.: The Marriage Ref
8 p.m.: Law & Order
9 p.m.: The Jay Leno Show

What's different: The Marriage Ref launches on Fridays and Law & Order moves back an hour.

Saturday:
7 p.m.: Crime Show Repeat
8 p.m.: Crime Show Repeat
9 p.m.: Crime Show Repeat

What's different: Not a thing.

Sunday:
6 p.m.: Dateline NBC
7 p.m.: Trauma
8 p.m.: The Apprentice

What's different: Trauma relocates from its fall time slot of Mondays at 8:00 p.m.

NBC's proposed winter schedule can be found here. Don't worry, mine is better. I am back Monday with initial reactions to all of the shows I've been watching this fall.