TVSquad

There are very few sure fire signs that a network is completely worthless and this is one of them.

Comcast has been looking to buy the financially troubled NBC from General Electric, but Wall Street insiders say the deal won't be good for Comcast's stock.

Even confirmed reports of a takeover bid can't save the network in the eyes of the almighty stockholder. What would make NBC more profitable in Wall Street's eyes?

What the hell is going on here? Have we entered the bizarro world? Is up now down? Has black become white? Was The Simpsons canceled after the first three episodes while The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer went on to become the longest running and most award winning series in the history of television?

Variety reports that while the big four networks are cutting back on their sitcoms and dramas for more reality fare, cable networks have been ramping up their dramas, comedies and dramadies and are now in a position to compete for some real ratings.

And it's not just in quantity where cable has tipped the scales.

I have this suspicion that, except for a couple of the mega-successful shows, the soap opera is on its way out.

NBC has canceled the bizarre soap opera Passions after 8 years. This is the show that included witches (Tabitha, played by Juliet Mills) and puppets that came to life. I know, I know, you're thinking, "why didn't someone tell me there was a soap like this on, I would have watched it!" It sounds like something that I could get into for a laugh or two, though I don't know if I could have gotten into it for the long haul, unless they really went over the top all the time and didn't include serious storylines too.

If you're wondering, the show is being canceled to make room for more of The Today Show, which is expanding to 9 hours in a few weeks.

Funny, I was thinking about this just the other day.

What if NBC decided to change its mind and not give the Tonight Show to Conan O'Brien in 2009? They've already announced that 2009 is when Jay Leno will step down from his hosting duties and that O'Brien will step into the spot (or sit down in the seat, whatever visual you prefer). But over at Variety, Brian Lowry wonders if NBC will have second thoughts about whether or not O'Brien can take his odd, 12:30am sense of humor and translate that to a more mainstream, 11:30pm audience. Remember, people were wondering the same thing about Letterman, and he wasn't half as quirky as O'Brien is right now.

As much as I dislike Leno as host, I think that putting O'Brien in there is a bad move. I'm not sure he can be a Tonight Show host. He's better at 12:30. I have no idea who I would put in there though. I'd love to see Jon Stewart, but I don't think he's quite right for the gig either.

Readers?