Sykes, who is gay, is not only bringing a different face to late night, like Mo’Nique and Lopez; she is also attempting to push beyond the usual celebrity-based entertainment fluff that the other two embrace. Yes, it’s powerful to see diversity reflected in different corners of TV, to see a host like Lopez dropping Spanish phrases into a monologue. Lopez, Mo’Nique, and Sykes are all willing to make racial and ethnic references that white hosts might tiptoe around or not think of. But still, diversity doesn’t negate the ever-present need on TV for creative ambition.
Better late than never
Three new hosts bring diversity, and hopefully some new life, to nighttime talk shows
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That said, a few segments in Sykes’s premiere didn’t fly, notably an overlong filmed piece in which Sykes is trying to dispose of her dildo collection and remain environmentally friendly. And her round table with three guests (Daryl “Chill’’ Mitchell, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and Phil Keoghan were the first) was like a really slow segment of “The View.’’ While Handler’s round tables have a good mix of spontaneity and humor, Sykes’s group chat was excruciatingly stunted. The cocktails, so conspicuously displayed on the table, didn’t help enough.
One thing I love about “The Daily Show’’ and “Chelsea Lately’’ is that they are both a half-hour long. All three of these new shows would benefit from the shorter length, especially the weeknightly “Lopez Tonight’’ and “The Mo’Nique Show.’’ The hourlong format is a convention worth rethinking. Sometimes, even when you like a host, more is a bore.
Matthew Gilbert can be reached at gilbert@globe.com.
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