Critics Have Seen Conan O’Brien Must Go, And They’re All Saying The Same Thing About The ‘Absurd’ New Travel Show On Max (2024)
Conan O’Brien made a return to The Tonight Show recently, 14 years after he unceremoniously parted ways with NBC in 2010, but that’s not the reason one of the best late-night hosts ever has been back in the conversation. A viral appearance on the show Hot Ones has fans appreciating the comedian anew, sharing hit best bits from over the years on social media. Well, there’s good news for O’Brien loyalists old and new, as the travel series Conan O’Brien Must Go has premiered for those with a Max subscription, and critics are weighing in on if it’s worth the watch.
Conan O’Brien Must Go is a spinoff to the ex-late-night host’s podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend and features the comedy veteran traveling all over the world to meet fans in destinations like Norway and Ireland. Longtime Coco followers may have an idea of what to expect, given THR writer Daniel Fienberg’s description of the series as “smartly stupid fun.” The critic continues:
Conan O’Brien Must Go is a smartly dumb show — or a stupidly smart show — focused (loosely) on what is essential about travel. It’s a series about arriving in a new place open to meeting new people, learning new languages, tasting new foods and experiencing uncomfortable new circ*mstances … and then making fun of them, when all the while you’re mostly mocking yourself and the fears people have about stepping outside of their comfort zones.
The comedian’s self-deprecating humor and absurdity sticks out to the critics in the four-episode first season, with Decider’s Joel Keller saying Conan O’Brien’s willingness to put his ego aside and be completely silly is why his brand of comedy is still getting new life decades later. Keller writes:
That sort of self-deprecating, absurdist shtick is what has carried Conan for his entire career and three decades on, it still seems less like an act and more like the way Conan generally lives his life. It’s why it still comes off as genuine and really, really funny, whether you’ve been a fan of Conan since the ’90s or just became a fan in recent years.
Eric Deggans of NPR says Conan O’Brien’s talent is genius in that he can play the fool while leaving no doubt that he’s also the smartest person in the room. This quality is on display in every episode of Conan O’Brien Must Go, Deggans says, writing:
It's all an excuse for O'Brien to unleash his energetic wit, taste for silly absurdity and skill at drawing laughs from sympathetic — if often befuddled — strangers. Whether you enjoy this special will depend on how you feel about O'Brien's style, which can feel a bit like the world's best class clown doing everything possible to make you crack a smile.
Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence rates the series an A-, saying that if Conan must go, we must follow. The host keeps the energy high throughout the series and puts his new friends at ease by consistently making himself the butt of the joke. The critic says:
Whether playing football in Argentina or exploring his Irish heritage on the Emerald Isle, each episode is a playful, immersive delight. (Even the crew is having a good time; you can sometimes hear them laughing in the background.) And it all speaks to O’Brien’s abilities to not just find the funny in any moment, but connect with others.
Meredith Hobbs Coons of AV Club grades Must Go a B, agreeing with the above assessments that Conan O’Brien’s self-deprecation — in addition to his absurd and silly antics — are a joy to witness on screen again. Coons writes:
Yes, Conan stays Conan. He will always be a champion of the silliest, goofiest forms of comedy, with himself as the butt of every joke. It’s tough, when other people are brought into it, to tell exactly how enthused they are about their role in his brand of humor, especially when he’s in a new place and doesn’t speak the language. It’s worth mentioning that the vibes can be a bit off at times, and certain scenes seem to drag, as if he’s willing with all his might to draw comedy from them. But boy is it good to see Conan out there throwing his full, feral self (not just his voice) into the act again.
The critics seem to be in agreement that Conan O’Brien Must Go is a must-watch for fans of the famous talk show host. All four episodes are available now on Max — one of the best streaming services, per CinemaBlend’s staff — and be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming soon.
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He is best known for having hosted late-night talk shows, beginning with Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993–2009) and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (2009–2010) on the NBC television network, and Conan (2010–2021) on the cable channel TBS.
As an ENTP, Conan tends to be expressive, curious, and spontaneous. Conan generally enjoys debating and thinking about issues from different perspectives.
O'Brien hosted the between June 2009 and January 2010 but was replaced by Jay Leno's return to the show. He briefly mentioned it at the top of his appearance following a standing ovation from the audience. “I know you meant well, but I had The Tonight Show for ten minutes and you ate into my time,” he joked.
Conan Lee Gray was born on December 5, 1998, in Lemon Grove, California, to a father of mostly Irish ancestry and a Japanese mother. As an infant, he moved with his family to Hiroshima, Japan, because his grandfather needed medical care after being diagnosed with cancer.
Comedian Conan O'Brien has his former late-night show to thank for allowing him to cross paths with his wife, Liza Powel O'Brien. Conan and Liza first met in 1999 while filming a remote segment for Late Night with Conan O'Brien at her advertising agency.
He took over the Tonight Show after hosting Late Night with Conan O'Brien from 1993-2009. O'Brien hosted The Tonight Show from 2009-2010, departing to start his talk show Conan on TBS, which ran from 2010-2021. He currently hosts the popular podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend.
Late-night talk-show host, former SNL writer, and Harvard graduate Conan O'Brien received an honorary doctorate from Dartmouth University in 2011. During the commencement speech, he told students his "first job as commencement speaker is to illustrate that life is not fair," in ironic reference to his honor.
Conan got his first start in comedy as a writer for Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. Conan hosted Late Night from 1993 to 2009. In 2009, he replaced Jay Leno as host of The Tonight Show. In 2010, NBC decided to give The Tonight Show back to Leno, which led to Conan leaving NBC.
He is often hailed for his appreciation of Americana-related nostalgia. Gray has recorded music, showed his art, and created other videos for his vlog with more than 25 million views. Gray self-released his debut single, "Idle Town", in March 2017.
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Introduction: My name is Catherine Tremblay, I am a precious, perfect, tasty, enthusiastic, inexpensive, vast, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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