Review of Conan O'Brien's 'Conan'

Conan feels a lot like Late Night with Conan O'Brien, though it incorporates a bit of host Conan O'Brien's short stint on The Tonight Show. The smaller, crescent moon-shaped set allows O'Brien to be more intimate with his studio audience, promising a bit of organic flow to the show - a give and take with his audience. Overall, not much is different about Conan as compared to his previous two incarnations, save for an early feeling that this show is a last hurrah. And as last hurrahs go, it could be a big, fun bash that parties well beyond closing time.

It will be more fair to review Conan after it's been on the air a few months, but as debuts go, host Conan O'Brien's return to television is a lot like welcoming home your older brother after he's been away at college for a spell. Everything old is new again - and there's an added edge to that feeling of comfort and familiarity.

Conan debuted on cable network TBS on Nov. 8 following host O'Brien's nine month TV purgatory imposed by NBC after it bought out his contract and sent him packing from The Tonight Show in early 2010. A cold open that featured a self-deprecating O'Brien laughing at NBC's suggestion that he move The Tonight Show to midnight and then getting gunned down by machine-gun toting NBC goons, was followed by a fairly standard TV talk show: monologue, comedy act, guests and a musical act.

But overall there was a sense that O'Brien was getting his groove back. You know, hopping back in the saddle after being off the horse for a while. You can't gallop and do tricks until you know you can keep yourself upright.

And O'Brien can certainly do that.

What matters most is that it feels good to have O'Brien back home. He belongs on late night behind a desk, cracking wise and joking with sidekick Andy Richter. Those who love Leno and Letterman may never understand. Those who can't get enough of Kimmel and Handler probably don't either.

But for those of us in our late 30s and early 40s, Conan is our Carson. (And I'm not talking about Carson Daly.) He belongs right where he is, doing exactly what he's doing.