The Tonight Show has been in decline because Jimmy Fallon has failed to evolve

The Ringer

Fallon's specialty of fun and games were a big part of last week, when the Tonight Show host did six shows, including one after the Super Bowl. Alison Herman watched all six episodes, and found a talk show host unwilling to change. "I found out that watching The Tonight Show in 2018 is an exercise in watching an entertainer stick to what they do best," she says, "even as 'what they do best' no longer aligns with what the broadest possible audience wants. For Jimmy Fallon, it seems there’s no better option."