It's almost unfair to review the first episode of a new talk show. After all, the show will be different every night, with different guests, different sketches, different musical guests. So to sit here and talk about what was good and bad about the first episode of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon would be unfair and silly. But let's do it anyway!
There's one thing I loved right away, and it had nothing to do with the host, his guests, the band, the sketches, or the audience. Can you guess what it was? The pic above is a clue.
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon has...curtains!
It's weird to think about, but no other late night talk show uses curtain like Carson used to (Johnny, not Daly). Dave uses the skyline, Jay uses his desk set as a background, as do Ferguson and Daly. Kimmel comes out from behind a curtain but walks away from it and has a different background. Conan didn't either. Sure, it's a ridiculously minor thing, but it catches your eye and I like the way it looks, very classic and late night.
How was the show from there? Hit and miss. Fallon was incredibly nervous, but then again Fallon always seems nervous: talking fast, shifting around, seemingly ADD-like. So that didn't distract me as much as it might some people, because I expected it. His monologue was...a monologue, and like everyone else's it had unfunny jokes and a couple of really clever ones.
The interviews: Well, he's already a better interviewer than Conan (who appeared in a rather funny opening bit, cleaning out his office and saying very seriously, "Jay's not leaving."). But last night the interviews were too much about him (stories about celebs, impersonations, etc) and not about his guests. Hopefully that will change. The sketches were horrible: one about a movie starring DeNiro and Fallon called Space Train fell flat, and the game where he got members of the audience to lick things for $10 should be dropped immediately. The house band, The Roots, just don't knock me out, though the lead singer has a fantastic voice. But it's a talk show band and they don't make or break shows. "Slow-Jammin' The News" was cute.
So, bottom line: not a terrible beginning by any means, though at the same time, it's not must-see TV either. There's really nothing you can do with the late night talk show format unless your really go outside the box. The success of this show, like a lot of late night shows, will hinge on whether or not you like Fallon.
His guest tonight include Tina Fey, so that should be fun.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3-03-2009 @ 12:56PM
Christopher said...
I liked the first episode. I agree that the Lick It for 10 was horrible. That house band is awesome. Slow jammin the news was good. I thought he was gonna pass out when he started talking to DeNiro.
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3-03-2009 @ 1:32PM
Tim Dorr said...
He wasn't talking with DeNiro so much as he was talking about DeNiro with him happening to be in the room. I think there was more dialog out of DeNiro in the sketch than in the whole "interview". JT was better, but still not best. I hope it's just nervousness, but he can't take over the conversation in an interview like that. Let the guest speak, because that's why people came to watch your show in the first place.
3-03-2009 @ 1:04PM
Chaz El said...
Meh.
I did tune into the last few moments of The Tonight Show to see how Leno would throw it to Fallon. Jay looked almost pained to do it, like a man with a dollop of doo in his drawers...
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3-03-2009 @ 1:22PM
Brad said...
First ep was good. Obviously Fallon was nervous, but whoever booked DeNiro for the first show should be fired; he barely spoke in complete sentences! Yes he's an acting legend, but Jimmy poked fun at his not talking in interviews right when "Bob" came out and DeNiro was either worse than Jimmy claimed, or played along so brilliantly for the REST OF THE SHOW that it only solidified his legend.
Justin Timberlake didn't interest me until he started doing impersonations; the Bee Gees are always great, but John Mayer? Michael McDonald? Sign this guy as Fallon's sidekick or weekly contributor or something; Justin's gonna be BIG someday
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3-03-2009 @ 1:19PM
lawl said...
Did I seriously just read that you think Fallon (who was fucking godawful last night) is a better interviewer than Conan? Wow, you have no fucking credibility as a journalist, Bob.
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3-03-2009 @ 1:36PM
backflip10019 said...
Bob, I'm not so sure that we were watching the same premiere. First off, what the hell is this focus on curtains? They're curtains; who gives a shit?
Secondly, every single one of Fallon's jokes and comedy sketches was either boring, unfunny or just plain stupid. It seemed like the show was already running out of ideas when they brought out three people from the audience to lick things for ten dollars each. Tell me, what's funny about that?
Thirdly, you honestly believe that Fallon is a better interviewer than Conan? The interview that Fallon had with De Niro was possibly one of the worst interviews that I have personally ever seen. It was completely and utterly awkward.
In sum, this is a terrible review.
3-03-2009 @ 1:57PM
MJL said...
That's the most ridiculous comment you're ever written, Bob. Granted, Conan is no Mike Wallace, but at least he knows how to conduct a logical interview. I don't think Conan has ever said, "I forgot what I was talking about, I'm lost" like Fallon did during the Timberlake interview. And I don't get what all the praise for "Slow-Jammin the News" is about, it's a weak bit that they'll probably hammer into the ground before April. It's basically a rip-off of anything Alan Kalter has ever done.
3-04-2009 @ 7:39AM
psicosis said...
I have to agree, Fallon's guests helped him get through the interviews on night one. It will be interesting when he has a few guests on that Fallon has to work answers out of.
3-03-2009 @ 1:27PM
MacGuffin said...
Not bad. Although I'm not sure if Robert DeNiro is a great first guest. Might be a terrific actor but a B-O-R-I-N-G guest.
Will definitely tune in again. When Conan is on at 11:30, this will be a much better two hour block.
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3-03-2009 @ 1:30PM
Justin said...
I need to see if this is on Hulu because our DVR doesn't like recording everything we have it set to record.
I have a feeling the Fallon backlash is due to people hating him from SNL and his thankfully-brief film career. Those situations weren't right for him but I think hosting a late night talk show will eventually endear him to people.
And again with thinking Conan isn't a good interviewer--you are the only 'critic' to think that. Other than Letterman, there hasn't been a better interviewer since Carson (Johnny, not Daly). It's supposed to be a discussion, not 'Tell me about this lame project that very few viewers give a damn about?'
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3-03-2009 @ 1:31PM
teenagertc said...
To be honest, I only viewed to see what The Roots were going to do. They were very restrained. It was weird to see them commercialized that way. Besides the Slow Jammin' the News bit, there wasn't a great interaction between Fallon and The Roots. I hope that gets better over time. Still, it was an OK first episode...let's not get all itchy yet!!
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3-03-2009 @ 1:32PM
Art Vandelay said...
I wasn't surprised that Jimmy's monologue and interviewing fell very flat - those skills take time to develop. The thoroughly disappointing parts were the sketches and other "bits." They've been working on/writing/refining this show for months, and Lick Things For $10 and Space Train were the best Jimmy and the writers could come up with? That's really pathetic.
Conan was no interviewing ace at the start of his run at Late Night, but he was doing funny and off-beat sketches/bits from the get-go.
If Jimmy isn't a good interviewer AND his sketches suck, then what's the point of watching the show?
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3-03-2009 @ 1:35PM
Fuzzyfreaker said...
Yeah, it was very hit and miss.
Fallon looked like he was going to drop dead on stage the moment he started talking to DeNiro. I mean, sure I couldn't do any better, I'd probably just run away as fast as possible, but it didn't go so well.
Thank God Justin Timberlake is such a great personality. I don't like his music, but hell, that man is one nice guy. They're good together, but I think that's probably just more with their history together.
Overall, it was kind of meh. The licking thing was stupid, he hasn't gotten the monologue down yet, and he just needs to evolve into more of his own personality. Right now, it's just Fallon bumbling around all nervous-like. He just needs to come into his own.
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3-03-2009 @ 1:54PM
Astin said...
No mention of Timberlake in the review? His segment was the best part of the show. He calmed Jimmy down, got some actual laughs, and was completely at ease. I was convinced by the end that it should be Late Night with Justin Timberlake with Fallon as his sidekick. He even joked with DeNiro effortlessly.
I imagine NBC will give him some time to grow, but he'd better show marked improvement day after day to last. Otherwise, everyone will flip to Ferguson.
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3-03-2009 @ 1:59PM
ac said...
He stumbled through the monologue. I will say Conan's weakness was the monologue also but he at least goes beyond the main jokes and works off the crowd to make it entertaining. Slow jamming the news was a bit better. Then he did the two bits, neither were funny. His interview with DeNiro was awkward, but thats DeNiro. The Space Train was another failed bit.
Also He is not a better interviewer than Conan. The ranking of late night interviewers is:
1. Letterman
2. Conan
3. Ferguson
4. Kimmel
5. Leno
After what I saw Fallon was worse than Leno, but I'll give him time to work that out. Wished I stayed up for Van Morrison, but I fell asleep while Timberlake was talking.
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3-03-2009 @ 2:01PM
Paul said...
Hit and miss for sure, but I didn't expect his first show to be a winner right away. It'll take time.
Fallon already a better interviewer than Conan? You've clearly lost your mind. Fallon may become a good interviewer, but if you thought his awkwardness with Bobby D and whatever it was with JT (doing 3 different singing bits) make him a good interviewer, you don't understand how conversation works.
Slow jammin' the news was great -- The Roots may be a bit restrained in this new format, but it's great to see them on TV. I'm still partial to the Max Weinberg 7 as the "best band in late night", but The Roots are frickin' awesome in every way.
I hated the $10 lick thingy (and hope they never do it again), but thought the "Space Train" sketch was very ridiculous -- in a good way. It was silly and stupid and exactly what late night television should be.
As for the no-curtain thing -- Conan had a curtain. But it was always open to start the show. I think they decided over time that it was a cool visual to have the band's equipment (or occasionally, an open stage) behind him rather than the curtain. But when guests came out, the curtain was always closed, and opened at the end just for them. Did you ever watch his show past the monologue?
All in all, I'm optimistic at where the show will be going -- and mostly because of the writing staff he's assembled, which consist of some of the brightest young comedy minds in the country.
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3-03-2009 @ 2:24PM
Jimmy said...
I caught the monologue before I left for work, and I was pleasantly surprised. He obviously has some good writers working for him.
I certainly won't watch every night -- I can't stand his delivery -- but I'll DVR if/when he has good guests after the A-listers of his first week.
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3-03-2009 @ 2:26PM
Crystal said...
The opening credits made me feel like SNL was coming on.
DeNiro was not a great first guest choice. But I'm sure he wanted his first guest to be someone he admires. I really think the JT & Fallon should have done the real Bee Gees sketch. And Van Morrison???? Really? Come on.
I am going to give Fallon some slack because I like him. I'm interested to see how the rest of the week goes.
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3-03-2009 @ 2:36PM
Bob Sassone said...
You'll notice I did indeed say negative things about Fallon's interviews. But it's not that Fallon is *great*, it's that Conan is *really bad* as an interviewer. And that's something, considering he was on for about 16 years.
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3-03-2009 @ 2:47PM
Wii60 said...
Yeah, except that's not true. This isn't an opinion, it's scientific fact that Conan uses his nerdy persona to get a good interview in. He's better than Leno and definitely better than Fallon.
I know that Conan might be lost on you old people Bob, but those of us who didn't get dive-bombed in WWII can relate to him. It's a generational thing, now check the AAs on your Walkman before you a-go-go.