It’s really too soon to pass judgment on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” but we’re going to do it anyway. Here are some highs and lows from the show’s first week:
Highlights
Brian Williams raps “Rapper’s Delight”
This mash up of clips from the NBC anchor was both a testament to hard work and also a ton of fun.
History of Rap 5 with Justin Timberlake
Fun and energetic. Fallon shines when he gets musical, and this rapping with JT was a good time.
Interview with Jerry Seinfeld
The two comedians have a good chat that’s funny and insightful.
The Roots
A great band goes a long way with a show like this, and The Roots are a great band.
Lowlights
Kristin Wiig as Harry Styles
Too long and painful to watch. And Fallon clearly has an obsession with Styles, as he mentions him numerous times during the week.
Monologues
Generic and pandering. There are occasionally funny jokes, but most of it is obvious and repetitive.
Bob Costas impressions
Fallon seems to do about 100 impressions of the NBC broadcaster, which is about 99 times too many.
Interviews not with Jerry Seinfeld
Fallon isn’t terrible, but he panders a lot. He seems too much to want to be liked.
