Overview
- Colbert closed The Late Show on May 21 with a 77‑minute finale that featured Paul McCartney, a long list of celebrity cameos and a musical send‑off.
- Nielsen Live+3 data show a late‑run ratings spike for the series, with the week averaging about 3.30 million viewers and a Strike Force Five reunion episode drawing roughly 4.1 million.
- CBS announced last July that it would end the franchise for financial reasons, a claim critics question because the cancellation followed a $16 million Paramount settlement and merger activity.
- CBS will fill the 11:35 p.m. ET slot with Byron Allen’s syndicated Comics Unleashed beginning May 22, a move that signals a shift to lower‑cost late‑night programming.
- Colbert’s send‑off drew visible industry solidarity—rival hosts leaned into sketches or reruns—raising broader questions about corporate influence, the future of political satire on network TV, and what replaces appointment late night.