Leno numbers predictably dip

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on September 16th, 2009

James Hibbert’s Live Feed has an excellent analysis of the Leno sweepstakes.

Everyone expected the numbers to be big on night one. Everyone expected the numbers to drop for night two. So far, everything looks, as the astronauts would say, “nominal.”

The percentage of droppage has some folks a bit nervous, though. The numbers fell 42% in viewers and 38% in the 18-49 demo. Ouch.

The Leno episode featured an interview with Michael Moore in the studio, along with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz via satellite. Critics gave Leno props for his lively interviews (including asking Cruise if he’s ever been to a strip club), but one opined that the second half of Leno’s show had too many “excruciating” comedy bits.

We suppose, for this critic, there’s an acceptable number of “excruciating” comedy bits. Double ouch. There’s that anti-comedy bias among the critics. NBC’s Rick Ludwin says, “Our research indicates clearly that what audiences want in these shows is laughs,” said Rick Ludwin, NBC’s late night chief. “They want comedy … so we will have more comedy, bigger comedy, more stunts. Comedy is the X factor.” He says this a lot. As did former NBC exec Ben Silverman.

Next week, the competition rolls out new episodes of their 10 PM dramas.

If I were a staffer on Leno’s show, I wouldn’t worry. He’s like one of those sergeants that grunts like to serve under because he’s seemingly indestructible. Like Robert Duvall’s Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore– “I love the smell of Nielsens in the morning… smells like… victory.”

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