'Late Night' Gets Sunny, and a Family Tree Grows

Jimmy Fallon felt the need to explain how a monologue works when he became the new host of 'The Tonight Show.' Seth Meyers, 40, who on Monday took Mr. Fallon's place on ' Late Night,' was more relaxed and self-mocking, telling viewers not to expect anything too new. Or, as he put it, 'I'm going to shake stuff up and open this thing with a monologue!'

The show is now called 'Late Night With Seth Meyers,' but its title might as well be 'More From Lorne Michaels.'

Mr. Michaels is the executive producer of 'The Tonight Show' and 'Late Night,' and he still produces 'Saturday Night Live,' the legendary comedy series he created in 1975. A little like Napoleon, who put a Bonaparte in high places across Europe, Mr. Michaels has 'SNL' protégés all over the NBC map - and beyond. Mr. Meyers's first guest, Amy Poehler, has her own NBC sitcom, 'Parks and Recreation.' (Ms. Poehler seems intent on following in Mr. Michaels's footsteps: She is an executive producer of ' Broad City,' on Comedy Central.)

Mr. Meyers was, among other things, a head writer on 'Saturday Night Live,' so it's not surprising that Mr. Fallon gave him an affectionate shout-out on 'Tonight.' But even the 'Late Night' band is led by an 'SNL' alumnus, Fred Armisen, who also made an appearance on Mr. Fallon's show on Monday. Mr. Armisen is also a star of 'Portlandia,' a satirical comedy on IFC; Mr. Michaels is an executive producer of that show as well.

The Lorne Michaels School of Synergy is striking, but so is the cohesion.

First nights are often only a dress rehearsal for what a program is going to be like, but as Mr. Meyers began his show, it was pretty obvious that the era of late-night hate is over. Or at least, that the overt animosity between Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien during NBC's short-lived attempt to replace Mr. Leno with Mr. O'Brien had run its course. The bad feelings over 'The Tonight Show' succession between David Letterman and Mr. Leno lasted long after Mr. Leno won, but even those have finally simmered down.

Now it is almost blindingly sunny after dark.

Mr. Meyers was at ease and disarming in his new role as a talk show host. It didn't hurt that he and Ms. Poehler appeared to be genuinely amused by each other as they traded insults. Ms. Poehler assured her host that he was perfect for the 'Late Night' job. 'I have watched you for 13 years pretend to listen to people,' she said sweetly.

Mr. Meyers reminded her of what she had always told him, 'If you want to have a conversation with me, get a talk show.'

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. was the second guest, and seemed very comfortable, perhaps because he is already chummy with Ms. Poehler, who had Mr. Biden do a cameo on 'Parks and Recreation.' She referred to the vice president as a 'gorgeous charm monster.'

When Mr. Meyers introduced the musical group A Great Big World, Ms. Poehler beamed at his side, as if ready to reprise their partnership on the 'SNL' fake newscast, 'Weekend Update.'

It's hard to remember, but there was a time when comic genius almost always meant crazy, and even the most popular television comedians were often insecure, angry loners - or addicts - offstage, and sometimes on it. Mr. Michaels survived the turbulent brilliance of early 'SNL' stars like John Belushi.

He stayed on to nurture a younger generation of comedians who were considerably more normal, notably Tina Fey, the first female head writer on 'SNL,' who went on to create and star in '30 Rock.' (Mr. Michaels was an executive producer of that show, too.) And, as Mr. Meyers showed on Monday night, his cohort may be more tame than many famous predecessors, but he and his colleagues also seem more civil and actually quite friendly.

Partly, the times and mores changed. The old Harvard Lampoon the-joke-is-that-it's-not-funny ethos grew stale; women and minorities made their way into the writers' room. And comedy as a profession became much more accessible and democratic: There are so many late-night shows, comedy clubs, comedy cable channels and even Internet series and social media sites where young talent can prove itself. It's no longer a job requirement to be monomaniacal; sometimes, you don't even have to be all that witty.

Mr. Meyers told a rather long anecdote about his embarrassment over not being able to change a tire while on a romantic weekend with his wife. It was sweet, and a little surprising - it wasn't a honed joke, it was the kind of story anyone with a sense of humor would tell over dinner.

Mr. Meyers had a good premiere, but the real host of late-night television is Mr. Michaels. On shows across network broadcast and cable, he is giving a party where everyone is welcome in the V.I.P. room.