"Meat and potatoes. Good food at sensible prices," he says of the new show. "That's all it really is. It's not some groundbreaking thing. It's just a comedy show."

That's how Jay Leno describes his new prime time show airing five nights a week in the coveted 10 p.m. time slot on NBC. Gone from the NBC schedule are the million-dollar-an-episode hour long dramas, and in its place a one hour comedy show. A comedy show on a once powerhouse network that now languishes in fourth place among broadcast networks.

So what can we expect to see on the new show? Fewer stars promoting their latest projects such as movies, TV shows and albums. There will be an abundance of musical guests and a corp of "comedy correspondents" that includes Rachel Harris, D.L. Hughley, Mikey Day, Liz Feldman, Brian Unger and Owen Benjamin. And he's keeping the monologue, "funny headlines," and Jaywalking segments.

The first show alone will feature Jay-Z, Kanye West who made a complete ass out of himself last night at the MTV Video Music Awards, Rihanna in her first major appearance since being beaten by Chris Brown.

Barbara Walters is probably somewhere salivating at the prospect of Rihanna and to a lesser degree Kanye, and the opportunity to question both, but because it's a comedy show, its unlikely Jay will wade into either of those topics.

And that would be ok if he'd never hosted the Tonight Show. Yes, Leno is a comedian, but who can forget a contrite Hugh Grant doing a mea culpa on Jay's couch, or Arnold Schwarzenegger announcing his run for governor of California. Oh, and Fred Thompson announcing his candidacy for president?

But that's not what this new show is all about. It's about getting a bigger bang for the buck by producing a cheaper show, and appealing to a broad audience. Many industry insiders have said the show will be a success if it manages to pull in the numbers Leno had as host of the Tonight Show, which will still be far below the primetime dramas it's up against.

And what if it doesn't work? How long will NBC stay with The Jay Leno Show?

NBC intends to stick with the show for "at least a year and, we hope, many years beyond that," Rick Ludwin, executive vice president for late-night and prime-time series, told reporters at the TV Critics summer meeting in July.

"TV has changed. It's all about what's happening right now," Leno says.

And what's happening right now is NBC's biggest gamble. If this works, and that is a mighty big if, the most that can be accomplished is to staunch the hemorrhaging of cash from the NBC coffers.

At worst? What few viewers NBC still has after years of poor programming (Kath & Kim, Crusoe, My Own Worst Enemy) and the canceling of quality shows such as Freak and Geeks, Life, and Ed, will complete the exodus to cable.

The suits at NBC should consult with their cousin network, USA, which in recent years has found great success with shows such as Monk, Burn Notice, In Plain Sight and even the annoying Psych.

It is doubtful that Leno will become "must see TV." What's not in doubt is that this is NBC's biggest gamble ever, and that Brandon Tartikoff is spinning in his grave.

 The Jay Leno Show airs week nights at 10 p.m. on NBC.

By Missy Lee

Missy Lee is the publisher, editor and chief reporter for ILoveTelevision.com. Prior to starting ILoveTelevision.com she worked for TV-Now.com and the late Tony Bray. After living in LA and covering all things entertainmentfor a number of years, she moved back to her home state of Tennessee.