'Jay Leno Show' Ends Quietly Tuesday

A failed NBC experiment comes to an end Tuesday, closing a tumultuous chapter in the peacock's history.

"The Jay Leno Show" — once hailed as the future of broadcast television — will quietly air its final episode Tuesday night. Leno will return to the airwaves on March 1, when he reassumes his role as host of "The Tonight Show."

For his final 10 PM show, Leno will host Ashton Kutcher and "Precious" star Gabourey Sidibe, with Bob Costas appearing from Vancouver for his show's final "10@10" segment.

But, understandably, Leno won't close "The Tonight Show" with a celebratory look back on the show's brief history.

"The pomp and circumstance will be nil," Variety reports. "That's intentional, as NBC is trying to rehab the images of both Leno and 'The Tonight Show.'"

Nikki Finke writes, "It came in with promotions on the cat food aisle at Vons supermarkets, and it goes out with its tail between its legs."

The New York Post's Michael Starr notes, "Insiders say Leno will feature a 'look back' segment at his show's brief run, but isn't planning anything special to mark the end of the infamous programming blunder."