Jay Leno got a rousing ovation from an audience happy to see the host back on the late side of the local news.
First guest Jamie Foxx helped break in the first show s crowd by including them in a rap.
Hollywood then gave way to Vancouver as Olympic gold medalist Lindsay Vonn visited to show off her new hardware.
Analysts believe Jay Leno s return to this familiar show setting will be to his advantage.
I think we're going to see Jay back in his natural element , predicted Bill Carter of the NY Times.
That natural element is thanks to very little tinkering with the formula that made The Tonight Show with Jay Leno number one for 14 years before his infamous primetime bust.
I think we should see act 1 monologue, act 2 comedy, and then a main guest; that's sort of format that everybody's become accustomed to on 'The Tonight Show' , recommended Carter.
Loyal Leno followers gathered early this morning outside of the Burbank studio where the show is shot, hoping for a chance to get in.
For some, this second round of The Tonight Show is their first experience with the old host.
This is our first Jay Leno show, so we're really excited about it. We had to get permission from our parents to skip school and come here , said David Munoz.
Attracting a younger audience will be critical to Leno s long-term success.
But given his comfort with the late-night format it s clear that, for Jay Leno, there s no place like home.
