The future is starting to take shape at NBC. Jay Leno will return to his coveted 11:35 p.m. timeslot, Conan O’Brien will walk away with pockets overflowing with cash, and NBC executives will search for a sacrificial scapegoat.

NBC worked out a contract in 2004 that guaranteed Conan O’Brien would be the host of the Tonight Show in 2009. He waited for five years only to have the rug rudely pulled out from under him after seven months.

O’Brien’s ratings are currently shooting through the roof. This morning, his fans congregated in front of WMAQ-TV’s studio in order to protest NBC’s treatment of the Tonight Show host. While a majority of the blame is aimed at Leno, he does not have the power to shuffle programming. NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker is the man that brought Jay Leno back to NBC after Leno left the Tonight Show. Zucker is also responsible for forcing O’Brien to accept either a later time slot or leave.

This situation has gotten out of hand. The scandal is generating a lot of publicity, but once the dust settles, Leno will have to contend with an audience that feels he stabbed Conan O’Brien in the back.