Conan O'Brien claimed the "Tonight Show" spot on June 1 from his predecessor, Mr. Jay Leno, and more than 7 million viewers joined him for the transition. Even the president endorsed Conan. He's consistently brought it night after night, with ratings dominating over Letterman, and he's been asked to deliver the commencement speech at UCLA (which he politely turned it down. The man is busy). I reflect on the past week with my favorite (and least favorite) moments, why Andy Richter should fade into another television universe, and why Coco Christopher O'Brien is pretty damn well...funny.

The Good: Conebone is back! Oh, how I've missed that hair, the pale skin and the enormously enlarged, disproportional body. As Conan would say, "Who is Conan and why is she so sad?" It's a nice feeling having him back on our screens, pulling at the invisible strings on his body. With "The String Dance," O'Brien brings a different type of humor to the late night crowd, one that shines through funny faces and oddly shaped dance routines. I nearly imploded with excitement when he finally screeched, "Be cool mah baaaabies!" to his audience.

Conan is known for his segments rather than the traditional topical monologue, and he didn't fail to deliver with "In the Year 3000." Formerly known as "In the Year 2000," Conan predicts the future in this fabulously unique, celebrity-infested alternate reality. I'm only hoping Richter won't always be his sidekick. But more on that later.

With Conan in Los Angeles, he has the ability to use the city in his bits. So far, he's been to the nosebleed section at a Lakers game, he's had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as a walk-on guest, he's rode around on a tram at the Universal lot yelling "Circle!", and he has hit the shops on Rodeo Road like a true Angelino. 

On a purely superficial note, his set oddly mirrors a Mario Brothers video game. Awesome.

The cold open during the premiere show where Conan travels across country from New York, to Wrigley Field, to the St. Louis Arch, to Las Vegas, and finally to his Los Angeles studio, is something only O'Brien can pull off, and we all can't help but run along side the new "Tonight Show" king. 

The Bad: I kind of miss Jay Leno. I know, I know, unpopular opinion. I must be an old lady, right? Besides having vague memories of Johnny Carson (whom O'Brien replicates more so than Leno ever did, as an aside), I grew up watching Leno's hair change from black to a head of white (with a black patch!). Leno represented every man; humble, hard-working, devoted. He's like having a warm cup of cocoa after sledding on a wintry day. He's a comfort. You know he'll always be there, and I never thought there would be a day when Leno wasn't a fixture in my late night world.

While "The Jay Leno Show" will premiere in September, there's something in the "Tonight Show" brand that still doesn't feel real with O'Brien at the helm of it all. 

Conan is nervous; he hasn't been himself since the last months of "Late Night." He may have big named guests (Will Ferrell, Tom Hanks, Gwyneth Paltrow), but the interviews are dull and elongated. 

Variety mentioned that the audience's standing ovation and over-clapping is getting tiresome, and I can't help but agree. However much Conan resembles a God-like figure, he's most certainly not as epic as people are making him out to be.

And although the new set is beautiful, Conan is unable to interact with the 300 member audience. The connection he had with his "Late Night" crowd seems lost.

The Ugly:  Andy Richter. A totally annoying, nauseating presence. Conan's interaction and love-hate relationship with drummer, Max, was at least semi-plausible and oddly humorous. Conan's back and forth with Andy seems forced and manipulated, as if they are compelled to write something specific for them every night, despite the lack of chemistry. It may be a bit faux pas to dislike Andy and Conan's relationship, and while it may have worked during the early years of Late Night, it doesn't work now. Conan is much more tolerable/loveable alone than with an unfunny sidekick who clearly never found success by himself.


And am I the only one who misses the Chuck Norris clips? 

How do you think Conan did during the first week? Better than Leno? Does Craig Ferguson own them all? Comment below.