The second coming of Carson? Not exactly.

Dennis Miller's attempt to break into the competitive world of talk shows may not have been the best move ever conceived.

Famous for his Weekend Update stint on "Saturday Night Live," Miller left the anchor desk after last season for bigger and better things.

As a comic -- there are few better. As a talk show host -- well, he's trying.

Miller seems uncomfortable with the medium. As he fumbles and stumbles, the viewer may find it hard to believe he's been on the air for more than a month.

Compared to his first week on the air, however, he is improving in leaps and bounds. He doesn't seem nearly as disinterested in what he is doing. He seems to be paying attention now.

His witty sarcasm has never been better, though. Who would not crack a smile as he gingerly asks Vladimir Pozner, the Russian talk show host, "So Vladimir -- Russia, what happened babe?"

If Miller is nothing else, he's topical. Nowhere is that more evident than in his monologues.

In just one evening -- just eight or nine minutes -- he hassled David Duke, snickered about Bill Clinton and poked fun at Paul Tsongas, the government and breast implants.

"Who would have thought that the stuff you use to caulk your bathroom with would be dangerous?" he wondered of breast implants.

"People still don't believe Tsongas has enough charisma to be president. The one thing they do agree on is that he would have made a great Mr. Roper on 'Three's Company,' " Miller said of the presidential hopeful.

Switching to the subject of Turner Broadcasting's plans for an all-cartoon channel, he added, "I think we already have a channel of one-dimensional, fictional characters -- it's called C-SPAN."

But his talents as a comedian are not in question. He's got a new job now -- and in the realm of talk shows, The Dennis Miller Show is nothing special.

His sets could have been stolen from Carson's backlot. His microphone is straight from Letterman's desk. He's even got a twisted version of the Top 10 and Viewer Mail -- he calls them Miller's Index and Voice Mail. Twisted terms -- same concept.

In the 12 to 1 a.m. time slot, Miller has tough competition. Not only does he have to compete with loyal Carson fans, but he's got Arsenio Hall and Letterman to contend with also.

And with the possibility of Letterman evacuating NBC to come to ABC, where does that leave Miller? Possibly out in the cold.

If you are still clutching to those fond memories of Miller's Weekend Update, you don't have to quit cold turkey. Every Friday night instead of a monologue, Miller takes his seat behind the anchor desk and it's like 1990 all over again.

Alas, but it isn't. It's time to move on. Miller has got interviews to do and celebrities to schmooze.

He's not a pro as of yet, but I'd bet his first Saturday behind the news desk on SNL wasn't a smash either.

Guess what folks? That's the review and I am outta here.