With so much attention at the TV Critics Association’s annual summer convention focused on Jay Leno’s exit from NBC’s The Tonight Show next year, it was no surprise that Leno himself made an appearance at the network’s executive session during its portion of the press tour on Monday. As Jimmy Kimmel did during ABC’s executive session last week, Leno—disguised in a bald cap and beard—asked NBC Entertainment co-chairmen Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff several mock questions regarding his own fate.
 
Here’s what was revealed:
 
--Leno’s last show on The Tonight Show will be Friday, May 29, 2009.
 
--Conan O’Brien will take over hosting duties on The Tonight Show beginning Monday, June 1.
 
--O’Brien’s last show as host of NBC’s Late Night will occur sometime in early 2009.
 
--Jimmy Fallon will take over hosting duties of Late Night in March or April of 2009.
 
--Prior to taking over for O’Brien, Fallon will get his feet wet in a series of online Webisodes.
 
--Although Leno has been rumored to be headed for ABC once his contract with NBC ends, Graboff denied those reports. “We're not agreeing that he's going to ABC,” Graboff told journalists at NBC’s executive session. “We're still talking to Jay about staying within NBC Universal. We're not even going to concede at this point. ... We're presenting him with a number of opportunities.”


 
In other NBC news:
 
--Saturday Night Live will premiere Saturday, Sept. 13, with new installments running for four straight weeks.
 
--Beginning Thursday, Oct. 9, at 9:30 p.m., special prime-time editions of SNL will air in that time slot, leading up to the presidential election on Nov. 4.
 
--New drama My Own Worst Enemy will launch on Monday, Oct. 13.
 
--For the two Mondays prior to that, the network will air sophomore drama Life in that slot, to help promote the series.
 
--The network has switched air times for two of its Thursday night comedies, moving 30 Rock back to 9:30 p.m., and launching Kath & Kim at 8:30 p.m.
 
--NBC also announced it has locked SNL’s Amy Poehler for a new series from The Office executive producer Greg Daniels and co-executive producer Michael Schur. Although the show will be stylistically similar to The Office, the network made clear that the Poehler vehicle is not a spinoff of the series, and that they are continuing to pursue the spinoff as well.
 
--Due to Poehler’s pregnancy, NBC’s Silverman said it is likely her series will not launch until March of 2009, meaning the network must fill its post-Super Bowl time slot with other content, possibly some sort of Office event, with a tease of Poehler’s show, he added.

(for more on the individual panels, read on)



Sophomore Dramas

-Who Was on the Panel:
Zachary Levi (Chuck), Damian Lewis (Life), Brooke Shields (Lipstick Jungle) and executive producers John Schwartz (Chuck), Oliver Goldstick (Lipstick Jungle) and Rand Ravich (Life)

-The Scoop:

Josh Schwartz on the re-launch of Chuck:

“We plan on launching the show in a way that if you've never seen the show before; you'll be able to tune in and get it right out of the gate. If you were an avid viewer but can't remember the last time it was on, you can also catch right up. And if you've just watched every episode, you can pick right up where it left off.”

Brooke Shields on filming in Manhattan:

“As a native New Yorker, I feel that it is its own character. I mean, the essence of New York is so present. We have stages in Brooklyn that we go to, sort of the set stages of our apartment, our offices. And then every week, we go out into the city, so there are a lot of street scenes. And it's remarkable how welcoming it is and how easy it is to be there. You can't go into any other city and pretends its Manhattan, and you really do feel it. So, we love it when we're on location.”

Oliver Goldstick on Lipstick Jungle, season two:

“We're extending our family. I think people probably know that Mary Tyler Moore has joined us as Brooke's mother. Rosie Perez has also joined the cast, playing Victory Ford's publicist, and she's fantastic. And Carlos Ponce is playing a new love interest for Lindsay Price. James Lesure is also joining us as a new boss.”

Rand Ravich on the writers' strike:

“Coming up to the strike, it got a little crazed and we were hurrying to get as many episodes done as soon as possible. And then, given more time now, we could actually plan for a longer season and plan out our story arcs more carefully.”

-The Reality:
The unfortunate prediction is not to expect much out of Chuck, Life or Lipstick Jungle next season. Chuck generated only minor interest among adults 18-49 anchoring Monday, and there is no reason to think that will change next season. Moving Life to Friday at 10 p.m. is a suicide mission. And Lipstick Jungle opposite CBS’ CSI: NY and ABC’s potentially blossoming Dirty Sexy Money on Wednesday will have its work cut out.

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Kath & Kim
Thursday 8:30 p.m.

-The Premise:
Based on the hit Australian sitcom, a divorced woman finds her life turned upside down when her daughter leaves her husband and moves in. Molly Shannon and Selma Blair star.

-Lead-in: The Office
-Competition: Ugly Betty (ABC), Survivor: Gabon (CBS), The Moment of Truth (Fox), Smallville (CW)

-Who Was on the Panel:
Selma Blair, Molly Shannon, John Michael Higgins, Mikey Day and executive producer Michelle Nader.

-The Scoop:
The difference between this version of Kath & Kim and the Australian version, according to Michelle Nader.

“We wanted to really sort of get the emotional core of the show more than they did in the Australian version. The Australian version is very funny, and we hopefully will be as funny as them. But they do eight episodes and we do 22. And you just have to sort of dish out the level of reality in a different way. It has to be more grounded. Also, whoever knows the Australian version knows that there is a best friend character, and she was sort of that with the four without the husband. And Mikey's part was not as big in the Australian version.”

-The Reality:
The good news from the get-go was the wise scheduling on NBC’s behalf, which moved Kath & Kath from its originally announced Tuesday 9:30 p.m. time period (out of The Biggest Loser: Families) to the more appropriate two-hour Thursday sitcom block (first at 9:30 p.m., and now at 8:30 p.m. ET). My Name is Earl may not be blockbuster lead-in support, but there is a young adult following. If Kath & Kim can hold at least 85 percent of the lead-in (and the higher HUT level will be beneficial), there could be a future. But facing Survivor: Gabon on CBS will be no easy feat. And a potential lack of critical support similar to The Office and 30 Rock could be an obstacle.

-Chance of Survival for Kath & Kim (Based on a scale of 1-1 to 10-1): 6-1

-Did You Know?:
Selma Blair’s former WB sitcom Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane was called just Zoe in the second season, but the name change did not ignite the anemic ratings.

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Knight Rider
Wednesday 9 p.m.

-The Premise:
The classic 1980s series about a man and his indestructible car is revived. Justin Bruening stars; Val Kilmer is the voice of KITT.

-Competition: Pushing Daisies (ABC), The New Adventures of Old Christine and Gary Unmarried (CBS), Bones (Fox), America’s Next Top Model (CW)

-Who Was on the Panel:
Yancy Arias, Justin Bruening, Paul Campbell, Smith Cho, Bruce Davison, Sydney Tamila Poitier, Deanna Russo and executive producers Dave Bartis, Doug Liman and Gary Scott Thompson.

-The Scoop:
In the event you are wondering if David Hasselhoff will be participating:

“David is not involved at this time,” said Gary Scott Thompson. “He has given us his blessing. He and I have an open line of communication, and possibly, there's a point where he could come back again. But there has to be a significant reason for him to return and a significant storyline, and his schedule is pretty full.”

-The Reality:
Yes, the recent made-for movie scored in the ratings (with a healthy, and approximate, 12 million viewers), but curiosity might have been a big factor. And the failure of NBC’s Bionic Woman revival last fall is all the more reason to think Knight Rider may just be a one-trick-pony, so to speak. The original series, in fact, was never a big hit to begin with. So why keep remaking it? As for David Hasselhoff returning if there is a “significant storyline,” come on now…how significant can any storyline be on Knight Rider?

-Chance of Survival for Knight Rider (Based on a scale of 1-1 to 10-1): 7-1

-Did You Know?:
This version of Knight Rider is not the first spin-off series. In 1997, there was a syndicated version called Team Knight Rider that ran for one low-rated season.

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My Own Worst Enemy
Monday 10 p.m.

-The Premise:
A middle-class efficiency expert (Christian Slater) living a boring life in the suburbs and an operative who speaks 13 languages share one thing in common – the same body. But when the carefully constructed wall between the two breaks down, they are thrust into unfamiliar territory.

-Lead-in: Heroes
-Competition: Boston Legal (ABC), CSI: Miami (CBS)

-Who Was on the Panel:
Saffron Burrows, Yara Martinez, Mike O’Malley, Christian Slater, Alfre Woodard and executive producer/directors David Semel and Jason Smilovic.

-The Scoop:
Christian Slater on playing two characters:

“We just finished doing the first episode on Friday, and I was a little nervous about it at the get-go because I didn't know how I was going to make these transitions. But the way they kind of scheduled it I thought was a clever way in that I play Henry on certain days, Edward on other days. It made it very challenging, very fun, very exciting, and kept my energy up, and it was just a continual perpetual motion.”

-The Reality:
The potentially positive news, of course, is the ample lead-in support from Heroes, which should be back in full force after about nine months off the air. But if recent time period occupants Journeyman, The Black Donnellys and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip could not succeed, will this odd sounding tale find an audience opposite CBS’ still potent CSI: Miami? Or would the network have been better off leaving proven modest success Medium in the hour. Personally, I would have voted for Medium (which is returning in midseason).

-Chance of Survival for My Own Worst Enemy (Based on a scale of 1-1 to 10-1): 7-1

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Kings
Midseason

-The Premise:
Set in a modern metropolis, a brave young solider (Christopher Egan) rescues the king’s son (Ian McShane) from enemy territory in an attempt to bring peace to the land.

-Who Was on the Panel:
Christopher Egan, Ian McShane, Allison Miller, Sebastian Stan, Susanna Thompson, executive producer Erwin Stoff, executive producer/creator Michael Green and executive producer/director Francis Lawrence.

-The Scoop:
Francis Lawrence on the characters on Kings:

“The interesting thing about this story is just that both the hero and the king in the story are very complicated people. One of the things that interested me is that David is one of the most classic heroes of all time and one of the most complicated. You know, he starts out as a real innocent and becomes a very complex person later on, and so there's lots of room for growth. And this is the truth with all of these characters. They're just all very, very interesting people.”

-The Reality:
With no announced time period, you cannot of course handicap the odds of Kings. But if I were voting on originality, it would be a “thumbs up” from Mr. TV. Too bad, though, that originality does not always lead to success in the ratings.

________________________________________________________________________

Press Tour Tidbits:
Notes of Interest

-NBCU Announces Sydie Start Date for Deal or No Deal:
NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution’s upcoming launch of Deal or No Deal as a half-hour strip will begin on Monday, Sept. 8. Contestants will have the opportunity to win $500,000 on each telecast, and new interactive incentives will include a weekly prize of $10,000 online or via a toll-free number each week. Howie Mandel, of course, hosts and fans can log on to DealorNoDealTV.com for information on how to become a contestant on the show, exclusive video clips and more.

-Coming Up on Bravo:
Upcoming docu-drama The Rachel Zoe Project, featuring the famed celebrity stylist, will debut on Monday, Sept. 8 at 11 p.m. ET. One week later it moves into its regularly scheduled Monday 10 p.m. time period. The Real Housewives of Atlanta, the latest edition of the reality series, will open with the first of seven episodes on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 10 p.m. ET. And Tommy Hilfiger Presents: Ironic Iconic America, a one-hour special looking at American pop culture, will premiere on Friday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Also airing on Bravo in 2008-09 will be new seasons of Make Me a Supermodel (2009), The Real Housewives of New York City (2009), The Real Housewives of Orange County (fourth quarter 2008), Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style (fourth quarter 2008) and Top Chef: New York (fourth quarter 2008).

-The Starter Wife, According to Debra Messing:
USA Network hosted a session on returning The Starter Wife, which began as a miniseries (and was not expected to continue). Here is what The Starter Wife lead Debra Messing had to say about next season:

“In terms of the miniseries and Molly, her life begins, really. The miniseries was kind of summer, and now school begins. It’s about how she feels with her new love life. We have a love interest, and she is entering the world of Hollywood trying to figure out how to make a living. She is also inter-acting with her husband much more than expected because they are divorcing, and they have a daughter and old friends.”

-Sci Fi Channel’s Caprica vs. Battlestar: Galactica:
A prequel to Battlestar: Galactica, upcoming Caprica on Sci Fi Channel follows two rival families 51 years before Galactica. It is set in the world of 12 Colonies where growing technology and artificial intelligence and robotics will eventually lead to the creation of the Cylcons. According to executive producer/writer Ronald D. Moore:

“This show is really nothing like Battlestar. It has a completely different tone, a completely different mood, and a completely different way of telling stories. It's shot very different, and I think I was particularly attracted to the idea of doing a science fiction piece that was not built on a foundation of action adventure. It isn’t about Vipers and it isn’t about the Cylons attacking every other week. It is really a character piece. It is really a drama. And you can infuse it with a lot of political commentary and a lot of religious overtones and really dig into a people and a society and how and why it all came unglued.”