There are Postulates and There are Axioms

There are postulates and there are axioms.  Johnny Carson was an axiom.  Jay Leno was a postulate.  David Letterman is an axiom.  Jimmy Fallon is an axiom.  Conan O'Brien used to be an axiom.  With the return of his sidekick, now he is a postulate.  Jimmy Fallon is teetering on the brink of becoming a postulate, because of his choice to fill the shoes of host of "The Tonight Show."  You can't always mix postulates and axioms.  Things work in certain places.  They don't work other places.  Jimmy Fallon's infectious talent worked well on "Late Night."  Just as David Letterman began in a small studio with underground-type material, trying to transition this format to mainstream TV is difficult.  Those are big shoes to fill.  Jay Leno was a postulate.  He lacked many of Johnny's defining characteristics.  I am not sure how he became the host of the Tonight Show.  Now he is richer than God.  "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" was an axiom, until it had to move to Fox.  With the disappearance of its catchy theme, the reappearance of a tired Andy Richter, and a bland and unmusical space Conan is now a postulate.  It is not really working.  Jimmy Fallon is doing a much better job of transitioning, because his move was a promotion.  It was wise to take "The Roots" with him.  It would have not worked without them.  Still the sheer responsibility of having to interview those chosen by the network or producer instead of running the show is a challenge.  He is making the best of it.  No one will be able to fill David Letterman's shoes.  His retirement will be a huge loss to the craft of television as will be the loss of Craig Ferguson.  In light of all the late night shuffling, Seth Meyers is doing well as Fallon's replacement.  While a little singular in approach, he is passionate and energetic.  Conan needs to understand that without certain production values, the show is not the same.  Bad audio, a bad set, and the return of Richter feels like a live radio show.  Sometimes it makes it and often it does not, because that Conan energy is not translating accurately to Fox.  American institutions are disappearing at a startling pace.  Some are worthy of preservation at all cost.