The reviews are in, now come the ratings.
The premiere of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” averaged 11.3 million viewers on Monday in a special midnight airing after NBC’s coverage of the Sochi Winter Olympics, putting him well above his competition on his first night.
The 39-year-old Fallon’s opening night — which featured guests Will Smith and U2 — was up 71 percent from the 6.6 million viewers who tuned in for his final “Late Night” show on Feb. 7 that aired at 12:05 a.m.
It was the second-biggest “Tonight Show ” audience since May 2009. Jay Leno’s finale on Feb. 6, 2014 drew 14.6 million viewers.
As for Fallon’s late night competition at 11:35 p.m., “Late Show with David Letterman” averaged 2.4 million viewers and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” drew 2.1 million viewers.
In the adults 18-49 demo preferred by advertisers, Fallon’s debut scored a 3.8 rating, tying Leno’s finale.
“The Tonight Show” will air at midnight through Thursday, with Friday’s show moving to its regular 11:35 p.m. timeslot.