I have to admit that I’m really not qualified to critique the first episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon since I have watched but really don’t watch any of the late shows regularly (Letterman, Leno, O’Brien, Kimmel, Ferguson, Daly…) I tuned in to the first show nonetheless. Now I think this is the sort of format where it will take some time to really see what the vibe and humor will be but I would be remiss not to judge, right?
The opener with Conan was cute, giving a nod to the start of a new late night show and the long road ahead and the fact that, for Conan, Leno’s not really going anywhere. The format of the rest of the show was pretty solid late night. The opening monologue introduced Fallon as well as his announcer and band The Root, which was pretty rockin’ and added a nice touch to slow jammin’ the news. Fallon has a boy next door quality about him, kind of sweet, kind of awkward, and kind of funny.
Having de Niro on as the first guest wasn’t the easiest rhythm to get going and acknowledging that he was a tough and letting him do a couple bits probably wasn’t worth the way it fed Fallon’s awkward trying hard to entertain shtick. Fortunately Timberlake’s casual style and song imitations lightened things up and and Van Morrison gave a needed breather to Fallon having to support the show.
Fallon still feels at his best when he’s doing bits, otherwise his communication is all a little too eager, but hopefully he’ll learn to use his eager to please mode in a less pleading and more comfortable way. And hopefully we’ll see Fallon develop his interviewing sea legs as the days, and weeks, go by. Although nothing about the first show would make me want to tune in again, there’s nothing that made me want to turn it off, which for a first show is probably a pretty huge triumph. The green room sponsor Bud Light with Lime was probably pleased enough.
