If you have watched NBC recently for at least five minutes you have probably seen a commercial or a promo for The Jay Leno Show. For me personally I have no problems with Jay Leno as a person and I respect him for filling in Johnny Carson's shoes on The Tonight Show even though I watch Letterman instead. H0wever the problem I have with the Jay Leno Show is the time it airs 10/9c every week night on NBC. This time slot is traditionally dedicated towards the big three networks NBC, ABC and CBS airing a hour long drama series. Although with Jay now airing at 9, NBC has passed on five
potential new dramas and has brushed off two current running dramas Chuck which has been delayed until March and Medium which has been moved to CBS.


Chuck (Right) and Medium (Left) shows threatened with cancellation by The Jay Leno Show.

The loss of 9PM dramas on NBC is detrimental to people like writers, directors and producers because it gives them five less chances to work on a network show. This is terrible due to the fact the chance of an original pilot getting produced is extremely hard making a writer in college like myself very unsure if I can break into the TV business. On the other hand from a financial standpoint something like The Jay Leno makes sense because hiring a team to put on a show every night is much cheaper than hiring five teams to put on a show for each night of the week. Again I cannot help but question if The Jay Leno Show existed ten years ago would NBC shows that were highly successful at 9c like ER and Law and Order ever seen the light of day? I guess that is the gamble NBC has to take but if the show is successful The Jay Leno Show might an indication that creative television, sitcoms and dramas may become non existent.