TV Junkie: Thank You Conan O'Brien

Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien pic via AP Photo/Evan Agostini
Tonight marks the last broadcast of Conan O'Brien on "Late Night..." and what a ride it's been. From being a virtual unknown in front of the camera, O'Brien is now a staple of late night television. O'Brien's resurrection of NBC's "Late Night" after the departure of David Letterman to CBS was not easy and the first few years were very tenuous ones for the wild haired funnyman. With support from Lorne Michaels, O'Brien was given enough time to build an audience, something almost unheard of these days.

What's been great about O'Brien's ascent is that he's kept it weird, something that has made his show more interesting than the milquetoasty shows in the earlier time slots. When we heard that Jay Leno was, in fact, not being removed from NBC but instead was being given a 10pm time slot, we decried NBC's lack of commitment to Conan - they were too afraid of losing their core of aging Midwesterners. While we question the revenue loss from removing 5 hours of drama programming per week that could be put into syndication, we realize that this is a boon for... Conan O'Brien.

With Leno ensconced in a 10pm slot on NBC, old farts in Kansas can watch Jay before the 11 o'clock news and get to bed earlier. This will allow O'Bren to stay weird - he was never going to get the hardcore conservatives that Leno panders to and we hope he takes advantage of this opportunity to push America to the limit. Welcome back to Los Angeles Conan, we hope you stay a lot longer this time!

The TV Junkie Plan: Tonight - "Mistresses", "Monk", Bill Maher, Letterman, Conan. Saturday - "Aisha Tyler is Lit: Live at the Fillmore". Sunday - The Oscars, "Big Love", "Flight of the Conchords", "Secret Diary of a Call Girl"

[Full listings after the jump]

Tonight

8:00pm Mistresses BBC America - Series Premiere

8:00pm Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles FOX - The Connors visit a town connected to the destroyed factory; Weaver sends a man into town

9:00pm The Graduate TCM - (1967) An aimless college man (Dustin Hoffman) lets an older woman (Anne Bancroft) seduce him, then finds himself falling for her daughter (Katharine Ross). One of the best films ever made.

9:00pm 13: Fear is Real The CW - Season Finale

9:00pm Monk USA - Season Finale

9:00pm Friday Night Lights NBC - The new quarterback, J.D. McCoy, becomes a victim of hazing

10:00pm The Soup E! - New Episode

10:00pm Psych USA - Season Finale

10:00pm Real Time With Bill Maher HBO - Season Premiere

10:00pm Comedy Central Presents Comedy Central - Standup featuring Greer Barnes followed by Red Grant

10:30pm The Soup Awards E! - We've had the Golden Globes, SAGs, Spirit, and more awards shows than we can throw a dead cat at, so why not one more?

11:35pm The Tonight Show With Jay Leno NBC - TV personality Meredith Vieira; comedian Tom Papa; Chris Isaak performs.

11:35pm Late Show With David Letterman CBS - Journalist Barbara Walters; comic Mike Birbiglia; Shemekia Copeland performs.

12:05am Jimmy Kimmel Live ABC - Actor Dev Patel; newscaster Robin Roberts; Kinky performs.

12:35am Late Night With Conan O'Brien NBC - The White Stripes perform.

Saturday

8:00pm Taking Chance HBO - Lt. Col. Michael Strobz volunteers to escort the body of a Marine home to Wyoming.

11:00pm Aisha Tyler is Lit: Live at the Fillmore Comedy Central - The comedienne performs in front of a live audience.

Sunday

11:00am Countdown to the Red Carpet: The 2009 Academy Awards E!

3:00pm Live From the Red Carpet: The 2009 Academy Awards E!

5:30pm The 81st Annual Academy Awards ABC - Honors for achievements in film take place at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles; Hugh Jackman hosts.

8:00pm The Amazing Race CBS - Host Phil Keoghan reveals the next set of challenges to the 10 remaining teams.

8:00pm Storm Stories The Weather Channel - Season Premiere

~8:30pm The Barbara Walters Special ABC - Anne Hathaway, Mickey Rourke, Hugh Jackman and teen heartthrobs the Jonas Brothers

8:30pm After Party: The 2009 Academy Awards E!

9:00pm Big Love HBO - A pilgrimage to a sacred shrine in New York tests the limits of the Henrickson family bonds

9:00pm The L Word Showtime - Lactose Intolerant Jenny throws a baby shower

10:00pm Flight of the Conchords HBO - Bret and Jemaine both fall for a woman whose missing dog has epilepsy.

10:00pm United States of Tara Showtime - Tara and Charmaine's parents visit for a birthday, but have a secret agenda.

10:30pm Eastbound & Down HBO - Kenny tries to make extra money by pitching himself as spokesman for a luxury car dealership

10:30pm Secret Diary of a Call Girl Showtime - Belle agrees to attend a big party with Bambi for Stephanie.

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Comments (4) [rss]

uh yeah

BSG thundering towards its climax

AND!

DOLLHOUSE as takes form

serious omissions imho

I've been enjoying Conan this week when I catch it. It's going to be a tough battle between Jimmy and Conan now!

Sorry about the BSG omission but I left "Dollhouse" out because it is pure garbage

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