I’ll fully admit, when I found out Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was teaming with Ustream.tv to allow viewers a chance to watch Jimmy Fallon view a night’s episode of his show from his office, I was intrigued. It seemed to me a perfect variation on what the former Mystery Science Theater folks do with their respective (be it Cinematic Titanic or Rifftrax) incarnations at their live shows (via satellite at neighborhood movie theaters).

Unfortunately they need to rethink their execution, based on the first night. My problem with it, the audio from the Ustream feed was muddled–not because of Ustream’s technology but because Fallon had filled the room with his Late Night staff (too many folks, honestly). Few of them are used to being on TV, and some of them were on the verge of mumbling when they spoke, others speaking at the same time. I think it would work better if Ustream provided a screen in screen shot–with the actual NBC show in the corner, while the Ustream stays as the dominant screen. Even better, Fallon would be better off inviting three or four staffers to do the Ustream show, rather than the whole staff.

I still like the core concept, I just hope they improve things based on moments that worked (when Fallon pulled out a custom made guitar, using stained-glass, which lit up as he mock played and the whole staff sang the old WKRP in Cincinnati theme, for example). I’m willing to give it a second try, with hopes for a more enjoyable experience.