ShareThisFilling the shoes of previous hosts David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon takes his turn as star of "Late Night" (starting 12:35 a.m. EST Tuesday, NBC).
"As far as reviews go, I'm looking forward to it," Fallon recently told TV critics. "Everyone's been destroyed by critics in the past. Shouldn't be any different for me."
Indeed, O'Brien was burned at the stake by critics during his first few months on "Late Night." Likewise, Jimmy Kimmel was ripped apart for his late-night ABC talker. Fallon is aware that his show will have kinks to work out.
NBC has been proactive in that department, allowing Fallon to do a bit of show online as a test run.
"It takes time," Fallon says of any late-night talk show. "Kimmel did a great job, too. And people hated him, and they thought he was terrible.
"So through time, I'm just going to get better and better and more used to it. Like you get used to your surroundings. When you first move into an apartment, it doesn't feel like home, and then when you're moving out after five years, you miss it."
Fallon's not out to revolutionize late-night. He says he wants to do more "gadget" segments, sort of in the same line as G4's "Attack of the Show." But most of his show will remain the same: a monologue, comedy bits and celebrity chitchat.
The Roots will be his house band. Fallon's staff includes writers who have penned for National Lampoon and the Onion.
"It's going to be a lot of trial-and-error. We're going to try stuff," he says.
"That's what's fun almost about 12:30 is that you should be looser and try more stuff, I think, and be more adventurous in your comedy, and we'll try stuff that just hangs.
"If it's not funny, we'll try it again. If that's not funny, we'll do it one more time."
Other highlights for the week of March 1-7 (all times EST; listings subject to change; check local listings):
SUNDAY
-- "Celebrity Apprentice" (9 p.m., NBC). Joan Rivers, Andrew Dice Clay and Jesse James compete to get their charities rewarded.
-- "Jesse Stone: Thin Ice" (9 p.m., CBS). Jesse gets in trouble when he's involved in a shootout in Boston.
-- "Girls Next Door" (10 p.m., E!). Kendra decides to move out.
MONDAY
-- "Rules of Engagement" (9:30 p.m., CBS). The cast expands to include a new assistant and a gay best friend.
-- "Saving Grace" (10 p.m., TNT). Grace is adrift and needs some direction.
-- "Ax Men" (10 p.m., History). The reality show about timber cutters is back with new episodes and more falling trees.
TUESDAY
-- "Reaper" (8 p.m., CW). Sam learns to deal with Satan being his dad. Haven't we all been there?
WEDNESDAY
-- "America's Next Top Model" (8 p.m., CW). The premiere date has been move to this night.
FRIDAY
-- "The Price Is Right" (11 a.m., CBS). Jack Wagner (of CBS's "The Bold and the Beautiful") pops up at random times during the game.
SATURDAY
-- "Ashes to Ashes" (9 a.m., BBC America). A spinoff of the British "Life on Mars," this tale has a therapist going back to the 1980s after being shot in the present day.
(E-mail Terry Morrow of The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Tennessee at morrow2(at)knews.com.)
TV HILIGHTS
