Though it seems like today’s surprising announcement that Conan O’Brien will drop his late-night anchor at TBS comes out of nowhere, when you think about it, this may be Coco’s smartest move …

1 – The new show, which will air Monday-Thursday at 11PM ET beginning in November, and its basic cable home base, will give O’Brien the freedom to do the kind of comedy he wants (and at 11PM), the kind of comedy that was popular at 12:30, but that wasn’t so popular in the broad network timeslot of 11:30.

O’Brien’s typically witty official statement on the new TBS deal: “In three months I’ve gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I’m headed to basic cable. My plan is working perfectly.”

2 – Though it may seem like Coco is doing to George Lopez and his Lopez Tonight what Jay Leno and his return to the Tonight Show was going to do to Conan at NBC, no worries: The New York Times‘ Bill Carter reports that Lopez is not only behind the Conan show, but he had a major role in making it happen.

3 – Sure, a Fox show might initially appear to be a better sitch for Coco and company, but Fox is not an established late-night outlet, many affiliates were unhappy (or refusing) to give up the 11PM syndication spots they now have, Conan would have had no primetime programming lead-ins since Fox’s primetime ends at 10PM and, frankly, Fox’s public response to signing Conan came off as lukewarm. It’s better that he goes somewhere that he’s truly wanted (particularly after the NBC mess), and TBS seems genuinely thrilled to have Conan’s next show on its schedule.

4 – There was simply no truly appealing timeslot open for Conan (or anyone else) in late night on the broadcast networks. But in cable … it’s not hard to imagine him becoming TBS’ signature star, like Jon Stewart is to Comedy Central.

The only negative I see with the Conan/TBS deal: Yet another completely new talk show means the pool of celeb guests is going to be stretched even thinner, meaning we should all be prepared to hear the same anecdote about Jennifer Lopez‘ twins or Matthew McConaughey‘s Airstream trailer repeated yet another time when those celebs have something to promote.

Here’s the Coco ad that will begin airing on TBS today, followed by the network’s official press release on O’Brien’s new show:

Conan Picks a Home – And It’s TBS

Comedy icon Conan O’Brien is joining TBS to host a late-night talk show that is expected to debut in November. The Emmy-winning comedian’s new program will be followed by Lopez Tonight, which will shift to a midnight time slot.

O’Brien began talks in earnest with TBS just last week, after George Lopez personally called him to ask that he consider joining the network’s late-night line-up. “I can’t think of anything better than doing my show with Conan as my lead-in,” Lopez said. “It’s the beginning of a new era in late-night comedy.”

Said O’Brien: “In three months I’ve gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I’m headed to basic cable. My plan is working perfectly.”

O’Brien and Lopez will give TBS a dynamic lineup in late-night television. TBS – which has built a programming slate that appeals to a young, diverse audience – expects O’Brien to be a long-term addition to the network’s late-night landscape. O’Brien will host his hour-long, yet-to-be-titled show Mondays through Thursdays at 11 p.m. (ET/PT).

“Conan has been the comedic voice for a generation. TBS already has a huge audience of young comedy lovers, and Conan’s show will give these fans even more reasons to watch our network,” said Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks.

With the addition of O’Brien’s show, TBS will establish two hours of late-night talk. Lopez Tonight, while just a few months old, has already become a destination show for a diverse audience. The Lopez Tonight audience is young as well, with a median age of just 34.

“For decades, late-night TV has been dominated by broadcast television,” Koonin said. “Now, with a young audience and a growing late-night lineup, TBS is set to be the choice of comedy fans for years to come.”

O’Brien is well-known from his many years in comedy. He grew up in a large, Irish Catholic family in a suburb of Boston . His love of comedy began at an early age and carried on when he entered Harvard University , where he earned a degree in history. During his years at Harvard, he also wrote for the legendary Harvard Lampoon publication, eventually serving as its president.

After leaving Harvard, O’Brien went to Los Angeles , where he found several writing jobs for television, including HBO’s Not Necessarily the News. After returning to the East Coast, O’Brien joined the writing team at Saturday Night Live, earning his first Emmy in 1989. He was writing for the hit show The Simpsons when Lorne Michaels approached him about a new late-night series for NBC. In 1993, Late Night with Conan O’Brien launched. The show ran for 16 years, ending when O’Brien briefly took over The Tonight Show.
O’Brien is currently touring the United States and Canada with his live show, Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour.

TBS, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is television’s top-rated comedy network. It serves as home to such original comedy series as My Boys, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Meet the Browns, as well as the upcoming Neighbors from Hell and Are We There Yet?; the hit late-night series Lopez Tonight, starring George Lopez; hot contemporary comedies like The Office and Family Guy; and specials like Funniest Commercials of the Year; blockbuster movies; and hosted movie showcases. TBS also presents major live events, including star-studded comedy festivals in Chicago and Las Vegas.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.