What is the best late-night talk show of all time?

Which late-night talk show is the greatest of all time? From Johnny Carson's Tonight Show institution to John Oliver's HBO investigative comedy, vote for the show that best defined what late-night television can be.

The Tonight Show (Carson)

Johnny Carson's 30-year Tonight Show reign from 1962 to 1992 that defined late-night television and set the template every host since has followed.

1/15

Late Show with Letterman

David Letterman's iconic CBS run from 1993 to 2015, where his sardonic wit and reinvented talk-show format influenced an entire generation of hosts.

2/15

Late Night with Letterman

Letterman's original NBC late-night run from 1982 to 1993, where he shattered the traditional talk-show formula with surreal humor and Top Ten Lists.

3/15

The Daily Show (Stewart)

Jon Stewart's 16-year tenure at The Daily Show from 1999 to 2015, which revolutionized political satire and became appointment television for millions.

4/15

Late Show with Colbert

Stephen Colbert's acclaimed CBS tenure that became the no. 1 late-night show, blending sharp political commentary with genuine celebrity interviews.

5/15

The Colbert Report

Stephen Colbert's 2005-2014 satirical alter-ego show on Comedy Central, a brilliant long-form character study that skewered cable news culture.

6/15

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Conan O'Brien's inventive and surreal NBC Late Night run from 1993 to 2009 that pioneered absurdist comedy and beloved recurring characters.

7/15

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jimmy Kimmel's long-running ABC franchise that produced viral cultural moments, celebrity pranks, and the beloved Celebrities Read Mean Tweets segment.

8/15

The Tonight Show (Fallon)

Jimmy Fallon's high-energy NBC Tonight Show era known for viral games, musical parodies, and A-list celebrity chemistry.

9/15

Last Week Tonight (Oliver)

John Oliver's HBO deep-dive weekly show that transformed long-form investigative comedy journalism into an art form and spurred real-world change.

10/15

Late Night with Seth Meyers

Seth Meyers's NBC show known for sharp political A Closer Look segments and a welcoming, writerly sensibility that attracts literary and political guests.

11/15

The Late Late Show (Ferguson)

Craig Ferguson's wildly creative CBS run from 2005 to 2014, featuring his robot sidekick Geoff Peterson and a refreshingly unscripted, intimate style.

12/15

The Tonight Show (Leno)

Jay Leno's dominant 22-year NBC run that consistently won the late-night ratings race, making him the most commercially successful host of his era.

13/15

Conan (TBS)

Conan O'Brien's 2010-2021 TBS show that evolved into a travel-heavy, experimental format and built a passionate global fan community.

14/15

The Tonight Show (Conan)

Conan O'Brien's brief but beloved seven-month Tonight Show hosting stint in 2009 that ended in the notorious NBC-Leno controversy.

15/15