Critic Reviews

There’s…Johnny! is unabashedly a tribute, filtered through the glow of fondness for a time gone by. Not without its second-guessing, there’s still a lovely underpinning of specificity that finds some honesty among the nostalgia.

The opening is a groaner, but after that it’s a wonderful journey back to an era when Carson was king.

Co-created by Paul Reiser (“Mad About You”) and David Steven Simon (“The Wayans Bros.”), there’s a warmth to the “There’s Johnny” pilot that’s extremely appealing, especially in an era of cold, cynical comedies.

The backstage antics could make for a satisfying enough escape except for the show’s clunky attempts to engage the real world.

While the original clips certainly make the concept interesting, the actual series suffers from a big divide in tone. And when you see the divide, you might end up wanting the show that's not there.

[Johnny Carson is] such a presence, it’s hard to concentrate on what happens to those in his employ. Had Reiser and Green made him less vital to the story (even to the point of eliminating the clips), “There’s Johnny” might be a better look at those who worked so hard to win his favor. Now it’s just another journey down “42nd Street” and all the potholes it has to offer.