Update!

Did Jimmy Fallon Host the "Best Emmys Ever?"

Maybe. Reviews are great; final ratings are up for 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards!

By Joal Ryan Aug 30, 2010 6:07 PMTags

Could a show that opened as Glee-fully as the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards possibly go wrong?

Well…

Final Nielsen numbers show last night's Jimmy Fallon-bossed telecast was down double digits from up (!) from last year's Neil Patrick Harris-led revival. The three-hour show averaged 13.5 million, NBC said, the most since 2006.

Pretty good considering, as we said before, comparisons between last night and last year are hardly fair. Last night's show aired during, rather than after, summer vacation, and, for the first time in recent memory, went out live on the West Coast.

Fallon likewise did nicely for himself, running even with Harris in terms of generating goodwill—and great reviews—for his hosting work.

A sampling:

• "As a white-tuxedoed, wandering minstrel, Fallon played perfect host…," judged the Los Angeles Times, which also praised the Late Night host for his "surprisingly good Green Day."

"Fallon brought an energy to last night's awards show that's long been missing," enthused Media Life.

The "Born to Run" opener with the cast of Glee, Jon Hamm, Tina Fey and Fallon on lead Bruce Springsteen guitar rocked, said us—and pretty much everyone else. 

All of this prompted New York Magazine to ask the musical question, "Were These the Best Emmys Ever?" Its verdict? Like our take on the show's ratings: "Pretty good!"

Now, if only (even) more people had watched, and, you know, Lost had won something… Anything…

(Originally published Aug. 30, 2010 at 11:07 a.m. PT; updated at 1:15 p.m. with final Nielsen figures)

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