Conan O'Brien returned to television last night with the premiere of his new TBS show, Conan, interviewing Knocked Up star Seth Rogen and Glee actress Lea Michele, and even jamming with musician Jack White. Despite months of build-up and huge ratings, critics almost unanimously agreed that Conan was too "modest" in scope, relying on the traditional format of other late-night shows instead of forging a new path. Did that make for hilarity or just a ho-hum hour of television? (Watch Conan's first monologue)
O'Brien played things too safe: If Conan is going to succeed at TBS, says Linda Holmes at NPR, "he is going to have to take more risks." Last night, he was trying to please everyone, fusing the "basic late-night talk show" format with only a hint of "the low-budget, off-kilter sensibility" his fans expect. But "nobody is watching Conan on TBS hoping to see a Leno/Letterman imitator."
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