Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
NBC | Release Date: March 3, 2009
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
48
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
1
Mixed:
11
Negative:
1

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
New York PostMichael Starr
Season 1 Review: Fallon seemed a bit nervous in his monologue (who wouldn't be?), but quickly found his rhythm, firing off some snappy one-liners. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesRobert Lloyd
Season 1 Review: It was an encouraging start. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsDavid Hinckley
Season 1 Review: Jimmy Fallon took NBC's late-night slot for his first test drive early this morning, and it needs a little tuning up. It also showed some promise. Read full review
50
Chicago Sun-TimesDarel Jevens
Season 1 Review: An attempt to be silly like O’Brien, his Late Night predecessor, instead had a trying-too-hard feel that approached Carson Daly territory (a place you do not want to be). Read full review
50
TimeJames Poniewozik
Season 1 Review: Fallon's monologue was understandably nervous and unremarkable joke-wise, but there were glimmers of potential. Read full review
50
Washington PostTom Shales
Season 1 Review: Fallon is far from such stature, but though his opening night had disappointments, none were crushing or looked potentially fatal. Once Fallon relaxes, hunkers down and lightens up, the new "Late Night" could win over many a semi-conscious heart and mind. Read full review
50
NewsdayVerne Gay
Season 1 Review: Neither great, nor horrible, nor propitious nor preposterous. It was just a start, and in the late-night TV game, sometimes that's good enough. Read full review
40
Chicago TribuneMaureen Ryan
Season 1 Review: On a late-night show, either the non-interview comedic bits have to be inspired, or the interviews have to be smooth. With a few exceptions, neither worked all that well during Fallon's first show. The comedy frequently fell flat, and as a host, Fallon is underwhelming at the moment. Read full review
40
The Hollywood ReporterRay Richmond
Season 1 Review: The "Saturday Night Live" alum and occasional film actor began life as a man of chat by giving his best impression of a deer caught in the headlights while at the same time exhibiting flashes of comic flair. Read full review
40
SlateTroy Patterson
Season 1 Review: The way things turned out, it was no worse than rather bad, and Fallon, if he can quit squirming long enough, should take a modest bow. Read full review
40
VarietyBrian Lowry
Season 1 Review: Despite solid tune-in out of curiosity about the new kid, Fallon’s Late Night got off to a rocky start, with uninspired writing and taped pieces, an at-times visibly nervous host and a first guest, Robert De Niro, whose taciturn nature made him a poor choice for the assignment. Read full review
40
Boston GlobeMatthew Gilbert
Season 1 Review: The NBC talk show wasn't a legendary late-night train wreck so much as a train stalled between stations, going nowhere, filled with impatient passengers. Read full review
30
Baltimore SunDavid Zurawik
Season 1 Review: Even granting lots of leeway for opening-night nerves, this was a pretty bad beginning for the Saturday Night Live alum. Read full review
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