The Bottom Line
The final episode was exactly what it should be – a tribute to Conan’s eclectic sense of humor (and that of his incredibly talented staff) and a warmhearted farewell that acknowledged that, in three months, much of the program will return – transformed a bit and with a new title before his name (The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien). The only odd moment was the appearance by The White Stripes, and not for their performance, which was wonderful.
Pros
- Wonderful retrospective
- Heartfelt farewells
- Hilarious comedy
- Appropriate thanks
- We're not really losing Conan
Cons
- Out of place musical moment
- Should have had primetime special
Description
- Conan takes over The Tonight Show June 1.
- SNL alum Jimmy Fallon debuts his Late Night March 2.
- Jay Leno will unveil his new primetime talk show at 10 p.m. on NBC sometime in the fall.
Guide Review - The Final ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien’ Recap and Review
Late night talk show host Conan O’Brien said goodbye to the set, studio and city he’s known for 16 years Friday, February 20, when the final episode of Late Night with Conan O’Brien spun through NBC’s midnight hour.
The final episode was exactly what it should be – a tribute to Conan’s eclectic sense of humor (and that of his incredibly talented staff) and a warmhearted farewell that acknowledged that, in three months, much of the program will return – transformed a bit and with a new title before his name (The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien).
The only odd moment was the appearance by The White Stripes, and not for their performance, which was wonderful. More for the appearance, which seemed out of place in the clip show format. A string of performances from Conan’s 16 years would have fit better and better celebrated the great bands Late Night has showcased before they became big names – like The White Stripes.
The program highlighted a number of memorable moments from Conan’s decade and a half as Late Night host while welcoming a brief comedy bit from Will Farrell and an extended stay from original sidekick Andy Richter.
The flame-haired comedian ended the program with an extended thanks to New York City and Rockefeller Center, where his program has broadcast since its beginning, his fans, talented staff, and those that supported him early in his career, most notably Lorne Michaels, the Saturday Night Live creator and producer who put Conan – a virtual no-name TV writer – on the air.
Conan also thanked his predecessor, David Letterman, acknowledging him as the creator of Late Night. He heaped praise on Jay Leno as well, for always encouraging people to stay tuned to see Conan after The Tonight Show and for helping his program succeed by creating a juggernaut talk show as a lead-in.
