X
  • 1992
  • TV-14
  • NBC
  • 1992
  • TV-14
  • NBC

Summary Jay Leno follows in the footsteps of legendary NBC late-night hosts Steve Allen, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson. Leno has created his own unique late-night style with a combination of humor, talk and entertainment each night at 11:35 p.m. ET - the wee hours when viewers want to wind down with a few laughs before drifting off to dreamland. C...

  • 1992
  • TV-14
  • NBC
  • 1992
  • TV-14
  • NBC

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

23 Seasons
Season 1 Premiere: May 25, 1992
Metascore Mixed or Average Based on 9 Critic Reviews
48
User Score Generally Unfavorable Based on 31 User Ratings
2.5
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Summary Jay Leno follows in the footsteps of legendary NBC late-night hosts Steve Allen, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson. Leno has created his own unique late-night style with a combination of humor, talk and entertainment each night at 11:35 p.m. ET - the wee hours when viewers want to wind down with a few laughs before drifting off to dreamland. C...

All Seasons

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23 Seasons

Top Cast

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Jay Leno

Self - Host, Self, From New York

Kevin Eubanks

Self - Musical Director, Self - Music Director, Self

Edd Hall

Self - Announcer, Announcer, Self - Annoncer

John Melendez

Self - Announcer, Self, Announcer

Wally Wingert

Self - Announcer, Self -

Rickey Minor

Self - Bandleader

Branford Marsalis Quartet

Themselves - Show Band, Self, Themselves - Musical Guest

Branford Marsalis

Self - Musical Director, Self

Robert Covarrubias

Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, NBC Correspondent Robert Covarrubias

Adam Smith

Self - Audience Liaison, Self - Assistant to Producers, Self - Poetry Scout

Shannon Ratigan

Self, Self - Guest

Julie Scardina

Self, Self - Guest

Nina Bergman

Self - Guest

Ross Mathews

Self, Self - Correspondent, Self - 'Meal or No Meal' Judge, Self - 'Woulda', Self - Commercial Announcer, Correspondent, Self - 'Undercover Ross', Self - At the Oscars Party, Self - Commercial Spokesman, Self - Correspondent: At Elton John's Oscar Party, Self - Correspondent: At the AMAs, Self - Correspondent: At the Golden Globe Awards, Self - Correspondent: At the MTV Movie Awards, Self - Correspondent: At the Super Bowl, Self - Grammy Awards, Self - Guest, Self -Correspondent (segment "Try to be a superhero")

Terry Bradshaw

Self, Self - Guest

Marvin 'Smitty' Smith

Drummer, Self - Drummer

Jim Norton

Self - 'Shoulda', Self, Self - Correspondent, Self - Correspondent: Love Advice, Self - 'Meal or No Meal' Judge, Self - Audience Q&A, Self - Correspondent: At Comic-Con, Self - Correspondent: At Fashion Week, Self - Correspondent: At Spring Break, Self - Correspondent: At the BCS Bowl, Self - Correspondent: At the ESPYs, Self - Correspondent: At the Grammys, Self - Correspondent: At the Kentucky Derby, Self - Correspondent: At the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, Self - Guest, Self - Love Advice, Self - jChat Panelist

Bill Maher

Self, Self - Guest

Mike Kimmel

Various Characters, Sketch Comedy Player, Patient, Sketch Comedy Player (segment: The Me Channel)

Dennis Miller

Self

View All Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 9 Critic Reviews
48
0% Positive
0 Reviews
89% Mixed
8 Reviews
11% Negative
1 Review

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 9 Critic Reviews
48
0% Positive
0 Reviews
89% Mixed
8 Reviews
11% Negative
1 Review

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
60
Leno himself? Comfortable and comforting, enthusiastic but not too much so, apparently ready to just get back to the job of making middle-of-the-road laughs.
FULL REVIEW
60
Leno did the show last night exactly the same way he does every show. He knows how to tell jokes and he can make his way through an interview.
By David Hinckley FULL REVIEW
50
Leno's got his desk, he's got his guests and no one expects him to do anything but what he's done for so many years: protect the "Tonight Show" franchise. After all that has happened, that may or may not be enough.
By Mary McNamara FULL REVIEW
50
He seemed nervous in a rapid-fire monologue that took shots at Dick Cheney, Alan Greenspan and Tiger Woods.
By Mark A. Perigard FULL REVIEW
50
The first covering the initial 30 minutes was the one to pay attention to. It had no guests and featured Leno and his staff --and it was lame, tame and tepid. The second was all guests--and it had energy if nothing else.
By David Zurawik FULL REVIEW
40
In the end, Leno is talented in the most mediocre of ways, and this gives viewers great comfort....There was nothing new, but there was a very happy man on stage.
FULL REVIEW
37
Monday's opening monologue, supposedly Leno's strong suit, was tired, lame and unfunny. In other words, typical of the real Leno, rather than the Leno of public-relations imagination.
By Robert Bianco FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Unfavorable Based on 31 User Ratings
2.5
23% Positive
7 Ratings
3% Mixed
1 Rating
74% Negative
23 Ratings

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Unfavorable Based on 31 User Ratings
2.5
23% Positive
7 Ratings
3% Mixed
1 Rating
74% Negative
23 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

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Production Company:
  • Big Dog Productions
  • Nelson Page Entertainment
  • Nerd Corps Productions V.1 Inc.
  • NBC Studios
  • NBC Universal Television
  • Universal Media Studios (UMS)
  • Universal Television
Initial Release Date: May 25, 1992
Number of seasons: 23 Seasons
Rating: TV-14
Genres:
All Details

Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards
• 4 Wins & 40 Nominations
Directors Guild of America, USA
• 3 Nominations
TV Guide Awards
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations

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